Jellyfish sting because they have tiny little stingers called nematocysts on their tentacles. When a person touches them, the stingers pop open and poke the skin, releasing little toxins that cause pain and sometimes an itch or redness.
Think of it like tiny needles hidden in your hair, when you brush against something with those needles, they shoot out and make you feel a sting. That's how jellyfish protect themselves from bigger animals (and swimmers)!
Examples
- A child steps into the ocean and feels a sudden sting on her foot, she has touched a jellyfish.
- Swimmer gets a red rash after swimming near the shore, it was caused by a jellyfish sting.
- The dog yelps when he runs through waves, there were tiny jellyfish in the water.
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See also
- Why Do Jellyfish Glow in the Dark?
- What Makes the Ocean Turn Green?
- What Makes a ‘Coral Reef’ Different from a ‘Fish Tank’?
- Can brain cells move?
- Are male and female brains physically different from birth?
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