Spineless Quotes

“The technical name for the stage of a jellyfish's life when it swims freely in the seas is Medusa, a moniker shared with the Ancient Greek mythological monster.”
― Juli Berwald, Spineless: The Science of Jellyfish and the Art of Growing a Backbone

“Vinegar appears to be an effective treatment too. If you are stung, your best bet is to pluck off any visible tentacles using tweezers if you have them. Then douse your sting in vinegar and then hot water.”
― Juli Berwald, Spineless: The Science of Jellyfish and the Art of Growing a Backbone

“And in a study in the United States, collagen from the cannonball jellyfish, which was currently marinating in my refrigerator, suppressed rheumatoid arthritis in rats. These results are thought to be related to the ability of jellyfish collagen to act as an antioxidant.”
― Juli Berwald, Spineless: The Science of Jellyfish and the Art of Growing a Backbone

“She’d been so brutally stung by box jellyfish on her third attempt that she almost died. Her arms, legs, back, and neck were lashed by the fiery tentacles of box jellies, which caused her to feel as if her entire body was dipped in hot oil. Over the phone, Diana told me about the incident: “If you are going to go out in the open ocean, all kinds of things are going to be out there, known and unknown, and you are just going to have to accept that as part of the sport and the adventure that you’re a part of. But I must say, when I was stung by those box jellyfish. . . . I wouldn’t ever wish that on my worst enemy. It was the stuff of science fiction.”
― Juli Berwald, Spineless: The Science of Jellyfish and the Art of Growing a Backbone