Explore

AP News AP News
Florida's Jellyfish Museum is dedicated solely to the mesmerizing floating predators

Florida's Jellyfish Museum is dedicated solely to the mesmerizing floating predators

Floating tentacled predators pulse and swirl in hypnotic patterns in the dark museum space, lit primarily by images projected on walls and the light from the saltwater tanks
Rapid Read Rapid Read
Florida Opens First U.S. Museum Solely Dedicated to Jellyfish

Florida Opens First U.S. Museum Solely Dedicated to Jellyfish

Pompano Beach, Florida, has become home to what is believed to be the first museum in the United States exclusively dedicated to jellyfish. The Jellyfish Museum, a private institution, opened its doors this past spring, showcasing approximately 20 unique species of jellyfish from Florida waters and other global regions. The museum, spanning nearly 10,000 square feet, features 21 tanks that rotate different species, including Japanese sea nettles, moon jellyfish, spotted jellies, and upside-down jellyfish. The facility was founded by Alex and Yana Yanovsky, who previously established successful aquariums and a jellyfish museum in Ukraine before relocating to the U.S. following the 2022 Russian invasion. Operations manager Jessica Eisenbarth stated that the couple aimed to share their passion for these creatures in Florida. The jellyfish are sourced through licensed aquaculture partners, and the museum's design emphasizes calm and tranquility, aiming to educate visitors on the role of jellyfish in marine eco...
Rapid Read Rapid Read
Florida Opens First U.S. Museum Dedicated Solely to Jellyfish in Pompano Beach

Florida Opens First U.S. Museum Dedicated Solely to Jellyfish in Pompano Beach

Pompano Beach, Florida, is now home to the first museum in the United States dedicated exclusively to jellyfish. The private Jellyfish Museum, located just north of Fort Lauderdale, is also one of the few such spaces globally. The museum was founded by Alex and Yana Yanovsky, who previously established successful aquariums, including a jellyfish museum, in Ukraine. They relocated to Florida after fleeing the 2022 Russian invasion and sought to share their passion for these creatures in the U.S. The nearly 10,000-square-foot facility, which opened this past spring, was converted from a former Wells Fargo bank branch with the help of approximately $100,000 in community redevelopment grants from the city of Pompano Beach. The museum features roughly 20 unique species of jellyfish, sourced from Florida waters and other parts of the world, displayed in 21 tanks. These species include Japanese sea nettles, moon jellyfish, spotted jellies, and upside-down jellyfish. The space is designed to evoke calm and tranqui...
Rapid Read Rapid Read
Researchers Uncover Distinct Dolphin Communication Patterns Off Florida Coast

Researchers Uncover Distinct Dolphin Communication Patterns Off Florida Coast

A recent study conducted by researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute has revealed distinct acoustic behaviors among dolphins off the Atlantic coast of Florida. The study, published in the journal PeerJ, utilized an autonomous wave glider equipped with a submarine recorder to monitor dolphin activity for 54 days. This method allowed for the collection of nearly 62 hours of acoustic recordings, identifying different patterns between whistles, associated with social communication, and echolocation clicks, linked to foraging and navigation. Whistles were more frequently detected in coastal areas and correlated with factors like water temperature, sound pressure level, chlorophyll-a concentration, and location. Echolocation clicks, conversely, were associated with depth, salinity, sound pressure level, location, and the presence of sound-producing fish. The research team, including Jessica Carvalho, Greg O’Corry-Crowe, and Laurent Chérubin, analyzed 14,974 files, with...
Rapid Read Rapid Read
Mobile Queen Conch Hatcheries Deployed in Caribbean to Combat Species Decline and Engage Communities

Mobile Queen Conch Hatcheries Deployed in Caribbean to Combat Species Decline and Engage Communities

Researchers, in partnership with local conservation organizations across the Caribbean, are deploying solar-powered mobile hatcheries to protect queen conch (Aliger gigas) during their vulnerable early life stages. This initiative, led by the Queen Conch Lab (QCL) affiliated with Florida Atlantic University (FAU), aims to slow the decline of the species, which has been severely impacted by overharvesting, habitat degradation, pollution, and warming waters. The mobile labs, measuring approximately 8 feet by 20 feet, are designed to be easily transportable and function as both nurseries for developing conch and educational centers for local communities. The process involves collecting a quarter of a female conch's egg mass, incubating the eggs, and then nurturing the hatched larvae (veligers) through various developmental stages in controlled environments. After about a year, the juvenile conch are moved to protective acclimation pens before being transferred to wild conch nurseries. The QCL's eighth mobile ...
Rapid Read Rapid Read
FAU Harbor Branch Research Reveals Dolphins' Distinct Acoustic Behaviors for Hunting and Socializing

FAU Harbor Branch Research Reveals Dolphins' Distinct Acoustic Behaviors for Hunting and Socializing

New research led by Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute has uncovered that dolphins off Florida’s Atlantic coast utilize sound differently based on their activity. The study, which involved 'eavesdropping' on dolphins for two months using an autonomous wave glider equipped with an acoustic recorder, captured nearly 62 hours of underwater sound. Dolphins were detected in over 1,600 recordings. Researchers analyzed whistles and echolocation clicks in relation to environmental factors like depth, temperature, salinity, currents, and human noise. Whistling, primarily associated with social behavior, was most frequently observed in nearshore waters, with notable hotspots near St. Augustine and Ponce Inlet, and additional areas around Melbourne Beach. Conversely, echolocation clicks, used for hunting, were concentrated further offshore between Melbourne and Ponce Inlet, in regions abundant with sound-producing fish. Greg O’Corry-Crowe, a co-author and research professor at FAU Har...
Rapid Read Rapid Read
Bald Eagle Holds Record for Largest Bird Nest Globally, Florida Nest Measured Over 2 Tonnes

Bald Eagle Holds Record for Largest Bird Nest Globally, Florida Nest Measured Over 2 Tonnes

The bald eagle, a distinctive bird of prey, holds the world record for constructing the largest nest of any bird species. The most massive bald eagle nest ever recorded was found in Florida, measuring an astonishing 2.9 meters (9.5 feet) across, 6 meters (20 feet) deep, and weighing over 2 tonnes (4,400 pounds). These colossal structures, known as aeries, are typically built high in tall trees near water and are composed of interwoven sticks. Bald eagles return to the same nest each breeding season to reinforce and expand it, allowing these nests to grow to monumental proportions over many years. Inside, the eagles line the nest with grass, moss, and feathers to create a soft, insulated chamber for their eggs and chicks.
Rapid Read Rapid Read
Mobile Queen Conch Hatcheries Deployed to Aid Species Recovery and Engage Caribbean Communities

Mobile Queen Conch Hatcheries Deployed to Aid Species Recovery and Engage Caribbean Communities

Researchers are deploying mobile queen conch hatcheries across the Caribbean, including U.S. territories like Puerto Rico and potentially Florida, to combat the severe decline of the species. The Queen Conch Lab (QCL), affiliated with Florida Atlantic University (FAU), is partnering with local conservation organizations to establish these solar-powered mobile labs. The goal is to protect queen conch during their vulnerable early life stages and to educate local communities about the species' life cycle and conservation efforts. These mobile units, approximately 8 feet wide and 20 feet long, can be easily transported and are designed to nurture developing conch larvae. Since the first lab launched in 2022, communities in Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas have established additional hatcheries, with more planned for Cataño, Puerto Rico, and Fort Pierce, Florida.
Trendline Trendline
Disney's Lakeshore Lodge Pool Complex Features Themed Oversized Otter Structures

Disney's Lakeshore Lodge Pool Complex Features Themed Oversized Otter Structures

Disney's Lakeshore Lodge Pool Complex Features Themed Oversized Otter Structures
AP News AP News
Mesmerizing jellyfish take center stage at 1st US museum dedicated solely to the floating predators

Mesmerizing jellyfish take center stage at 1st US museum dedicated solely to the floating predators

Floating tentacled predators pulse and swirl in hypnotic patterns in the dark museum space, lit primarily by images projected on walls and the light from the saltwater tanks
Vox Vox
Why scientists are using cheap picnic coolers to protect some of the world’s most endangered animals

Why scientists are using cheap picnic coolers to protect some of the world’s most endangered animals

Climate change is killing coral reefs, but this low-tech approach could lessen its destruction.