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The Guardian
6 hours ago
- The Guardian
Coming to a beach near you: a guide to the jellyfish you'll find off the UK coast
Moon jellyfish are the most common species in UK seas, easily identified by its markings of four purple circles within its translucent white bell. The bell has a layer of mucus over it, which the moon jellyfish uses to catch plankton, which it inserts into its mouth using special tentacles. Nasa launched more than 2,478 young moon jellyfish in a container into space in 1991 to study the effects of microgravity on the gravity-sensitive organs of the species. Although they did not reach the moon, scientists discovered that the space-born jellyfish had difficulty swimming in Earth's gravity, as their nervous system had adapted too well to microgravity. The largest species of jellyfish in the world is the lion's mane, which gets its name from its up to 3-metre-long, hair-like tentacles that look like, yes, a lion's mane. These reddish-brown tentacles are packed with stinging cells and are used to prey upon fish and smaller jellyfish. The largest recorded lion's mane specimen was found off the coast of Massachusetts, US, in 1865. It had a bell diameter of 210cm and tentacles measuring about 36.6 metres long. Although not fatal, the sting of a lion's mane jellyfish can cause serious discomfort to a person, from localised redness and pain to vomiting and chest pain. A 34-year-old woman was taken to hospital in 2016 after suffering an allergic reaction from the sting of six lion's mane jellyfish. Another large species to look out for is the barrel jellyfish, with a bell diameter of as much as 90cm and which weigh as much as 35kg. They have eight frilly tentacles and, due to their enormous size, are often found washed up on beaches after searching for prey in shallow waters. Fish and small crabs are known to seek shelter within the tentacles of the barrel specimen, as a safe space from predators. The sting of a barrel jellyfish is typically mild and does not cause real harm to people. Countries across the world and particularly in south-east Asia have eaten barrel jellyfish for more than 1,700 years. The mauve stinger is a small and beautiful jellyfish, typically coloured pink, purple or a bluey purple, and packs a punch with its 3-metre long tentacles full of stinging cells. The mauve stinger has one of the worst stings of all the species and can glow brightly at night when disturbed, giving it the scientific name Pelagia noctiluca, which translates to 'night-light of the sea'. A common summer visitor to the UK is the compass jellyfish, named for its brown lined markings running down the centre of its yellowish-white bell that resemble a compass. When the compass jellyfish stings something, it often detaches a tentacle and leaves it behind, which can still sting despite not being connected to a body. The species, frequently encountered in Cornish coastal waters, can inflict a lot of pain from its sting, which should be rinsed with warm water for 30 minutes to reduce the pain. The nearly transparent and bioluminescent crystal jellyfish can emit light and exhibit a bright green light when exposed to light ranging from blue to ultraviolet. With up to 150 tentacles, this unique jelly is often used in scientific experiments for its bioluminescent properties and proteins, which have revolutionised fields such as cell biology, neuroscience and disease research. Their sting is considered not strong enough to penetrate through human skin and cause harm, but is strong enough to harm and paralyse their prey in the water. The blue jellyfish, similar in shape to the lion's mane species, can be colourless when young and develop its blue-purple bell once mature. This species can have up to 800 fine tentacles that resemble a head of hair; the jellyfish uses these tentacles to direct food – including other jellyfish – towards its mouth. The venom from a blue jellyfish sting can cause serious pain, which can last for hours or even days. Although the sting is nonlethal, it can be potentially dangerous for young children, elderly people, and those with allergies such as anaphylaxis.
The Sun
15 hours ago
- The Sun
Prolonged hot weather may be fuelling rise in obesity rates, study suggests
BLAME your belly on the sunshine, say scientists - as hot weather makes us gain weight. A study in Australia estimated that someone's risk of being obese increases by 0.2 per cent for every day of the year that is warmer than 30C. Sweltering summer days might slow our metabolism by wrecking our sleep, put us off exercising, and have us reaching for fattening fizzy drinks to cool off. The UK has enjoyed an early start to summer this year, with eleven 30C days so far. The Met Office says 2025 is one of only three years on record to have had so many by July – with 2018 and 1976. Research led by the University of Adelaide compared rates of obesity and weather across eight Australian states between 2006 and 2022. It found citizens in the hottest areas were more likely to be obese and as an area's temperatures increased so did the number of fat people. Writing in the journal Economics & Human Biology, the study authors said: 'High temperatures can make outdoor activities and physical activities less appealing, leading to a sedentary lifestyle which has been shown to increase obesity. 'Further, extreme temperatures can cause heat-related sleep disturbances that influence metabolism. 'Temperature shocks can also affect the body's metabolism and appetite. 'High temperatures may suppress appetite in the short term, but can also lead to increased consumption of high-calorie, sugary beverages for cooling and hydration.' Two thirds of British adults are overweight and about 30 per cent are obese, raising their risk of cancer, dementia and heart diseases. I put my 11-year-old daughter on fat jabs after she got bullied for her weight - people judge me but I don't care The researchers suggested people in areas that are normally cold – such as the UK – might be more vulnerable. They added: 'We find that the effects of extreme temperature on obesity are more pronounced for people living in states with general cold climates and for older people compared to younger people.' 1
Times
20 hours ago
- Times
Trigger warnings ‘have no meaningful impact' on students
Trigger warnings that tell students they may find a lecture distressing do not make them feel safer and have no meaningful impact on how they engage with difficult material, a study has suggested. Researchers tested the effects of trigger warnings and other pre-lecture notices on 738 students in the US who listened to a talk on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They found no evidence that a trigger warning improved students' sense of psychological safety or trust in the lecturer, or their willingness to discuss controversial topics. However, when a speaker said their classroom was a 'safe space' and that students could leave if they felt distressed, students later reported having felt more comfortable. They also rated the lecturer more positively, albeit while also perceiving them as more politically liberal and supportive of censorship. The results may stir debate in universities. For years, trigger warnings have been used in an effort to help students, particularly trauma survivors, brace for potentially disturbing material. The new findings, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, suggest that they may be more symbolic than effective. Despite widespread support among students, trigger warnings simply did not achieve very much, according to Dr Victoria Bridgland, lead author of the study and a psychology lecturer at Flinders University in South Australia. 'Some people believe trigger warnings help students feel supported by the teacher,' she said. 'But our research shows they fail to do that.' Safe-space messages, by contrast, appeared to foster trust and openness. However, they also carried political signals that seemed to affect how students interpreted the instructor's political leanings. 'It's not just about the content being taught,' Bridgland said. 'It's also about the emotional and psychological climate in the classroom. 'This matters because small cues at the start of a lesson can shape how students feel and behave. Instructors need to be thoughtful about how they frame these messages.' • Giles Coren: I'm having doublethink over trigger warnings• We must be 'tougher' and confront historical racism, author says• Disney waters down content warnings in retreat from diversity In the experiment, students were shown short video lectures on PTSD, each introduced with one of four messages. The trigger warning said: 'Before we begin today's lecture, I want to issue a trigger warning. The content we're about to cover includes discussions about interpersonal trauma, such as sexual violence. This content may evoke a distressing emotional reaction for some people, particularly those with a history of trauma.' The safe-space notification took a different tone: 'Before we begin today's lecture, I want to emphasise to everyone that this classroom is a safe space. If at any point the material becomes too distressing, please feel free to disengage as necessary. It's essential to prioritise your emotional safety.' A third group of students received both messages, and a fourth received neither — just a neutral introduction to the topic. The lectures themselves were otherwise identical and professionally recorded, allowing researchers to isolate the effects of the introductory notices.
