To pee or not to pee: you can't handle the truth about jellyfish

After a nearly fatal Hawaiian box jellyfish sting in July of 1997, Dr Yanagihara ended up in an ambulance. As a biochemistry professor, she was immediately filled with questions as to how this tiny, nearly invisible jelly could have such a powerful venom. Here Dr Yanagihara will discuss the science of the sting and first aid controversies and approaches used to determine best first aid practices.

Jellyfish are among the oldest and most successful animals on Earth, yet many aspects of their lives remain surprisingly unknown. This talk explores their extraordinary life cycles, including species capable of reversing their development and returning to earlier life stages, challenging our understanding of ageing, rejuvenation, and adaptation in the oceans.

What good are jellyfish? It’s a question that jellyfish researchers get asked all the time. This talk will explore how jellyfish are an important food item for many marine animals but also two marine giants that visit Irish shores.

Jellyfish are renowned for their spectacular blooms and the trouble they cause people and coastal industries. The media (and some scientists!) claim that jellyfish are increasing globally. But are jellyfish really taking over the oceans or are we simply encountering them more as human activities expand in coastal waters? This talk explores jellyfish population trends and separates the fact from fiction.