When people ask me, “so who cares if animal whatever goes extinct”? I usually discuss that we don’t really know what these animals might teach us. Sometimes it might unlock an issue of great importance to us. There is an assumption by the public that we know everything there is to know about snail darters, or whatever species is on the Endangered Species list. Here’s a good quick article about one such bit of knowledge, right here in our Sound.
Sometimes, it can be hard to tell the difference between what is real and what is only a myth. In the Northwest, we have some incredible natural wonders that sound almost too bizarre to be real. Aequorea victoria, a common jellyfish in the Puget Sound waters, can really make a statement when agitated. This amazing jellyfish combines two different proteins within its body to create bioluminescence and glow in the dark. Scientists have been able to extract one of these proteins and apply it to modern medicine to help researchers track proteins in living cells.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/10/14/2331617/nature-filled-with-unique-animals.html
Filed under: Around the Sound, Sea Life |
