When you hear this music,
you know the first thing
that comes to mind, right?
But, did you know that there's an
even deadlier creature lurking
in the depths?
Something that can kill you
in a matter of minutes,
with excruciating pain?
They're difficult to see,
and their 10-foot long barbed
tentacles contain venom that's
so lethal it's considered to be
one of the deadliest
creatures on Earth.
If you want to survive
this lethal attack,
follow these steps.
OK, swim.
You'll want to get away
as fast as you can.
Box jellyfish are intentional swimmers,
meaning they can propel themselves
in your direction, unlike other kinds
of jellyfish that simply float
along the current.
Scientists have identified more
than 2,000 types of jellyfish,
50 kinds of box jellyfish.
And being stung by one can kill you.
A study of stinging incidents on
a Thai beach found that six
out of 15 were deadly.
If you do get stung, at first it will
feel like you've been bitten,
but there will be not be any evidence
of an attacker.
The sting will have come from the
jellyfish's tentacles, which make jellyfish
Mother Nature's stinging machines.
Each tentacle contains thousands
of stinging cells.
Go deeper, and you'll find nematocysts.
Inside each nematocyst is a stinging
thread, coiled and ready to be launched.
They can fire a microscopic harpoon
at 60 km/h (37 mph).
Inside that harpoon is a spiny, hollow tube
that injects the venom into its victim.
Now, you'll need to get medical
attention right away.
In only three minutes, a box jellyfish sting
can be fatal.
Your heart is about to start racing as your
body freaks out and shuts down.
Muscle spasms, extreme fatigue,
and confusion will set in quickly,
and you'll have difficulty breathing.
Scientist Angel Yanagihara suffered this
horrific sting in 1997, in Hawaii,
while studying for her Ph.D.
Only 500 m (1,640 feet) offshore,
she swam into a swarm of box jellyfish.
It was early, before dawn, and she didn't
see a thing.
But she felt the stinging in
her neck and arms,
and her lungs felt like they were on fire
and starting to collapse.
Miraculously, she made her way
back to shore.
And three days later, after recovering
enough to get out of bed, she decided to
dedicate her life to studying these jellyfish
and help save people from
their fatal venom.
You'll need to work quickly to find
and remove the stingers.
If you're the person doing the removing,
use tweezers, a credit card,
or some other tool.
You don't want to come in contact
with the venom.
Removing the stingers will also prevent
more poison from entering
the person's bloodstream.
Don't use fresh water on the wounds
because that will make
the pain even worse.
Treat the wounded areas with vinegar.
This won't be difficult as the stinging
tentacles will leave thick, rope-like marks
on the victim's body.
The vinegar will help stop the venom from
spreading and provide some pain relief.
And, I don't care what you've read or seen
on the internet,
do not pee on the victim.
This is an urban myth, it does not work,
and it's gross.
The victim has enough
problems right now.
The ammonia and urea, in pee, can help
some stings if they're applied
separately to the wounds.
But our pee contains so much water that
it would likely inflict more pain.
A 10-year-old Australian boy was stung by
a box jellyfish, but under
very fortunate circumstances.
He was in the middle of a swimming
lesson and surrounded by lifeguards.
He was about 50 m (164 ft) offshore
when he was stung.
Immediately, he was brought back to the
beach and given oxygen as other
lifeguards poured vinegar on his wounds.
He was taken to a nearby hospital with an
elevated heart rate but stabilized
shortly after that.
After an ECG and some ibuprofen,
he had a hot shower and was released
within a few hours.
Knowing the dangers of these creatures,
where they live, and how they behave will
go a long way in preventing
this from happening.
Box jellyfish can be found a few hundred
meters (or feet) offshore.
They live in all oceans, some freshwater
lakes, and ponds.
The most lethal species are found
in northern Australia.
Scientists consider them to be the most
venomous marine animal.
They have an incredible range in size,
from the size of a thimble to a diameter
of 2.4 m (8 ft).
Their tentacles can stretch for more than
60 m (200 ft) in length.
Box jellyfish are known to kill, on average,
one person each year in Australia, and up
to six in the Philippines.
But, if you stay away from warmer water,
where these killers hang out,
they're not something you'd necessarily
have to worry about.
So, do you still think that sharks
are the deadliest predator?
These jellyfish are nearly invisible
in the water, don't leave blood behind
when they attack, and they can kill you
much faster than Jaws ever could.
But what about piranhas?
Could they be worse?
Could you survive
a piranha feeding frenzy?
Well, we've got the perfect video for you.
To be prepared and stay alive,
keep watching How to Survive.