Pacific sea nettles off the coast of Carmel, California, USA Nov 3, 2023

Pacific sea nettles off the coast of Carmel, California, USA

Jellyfish may be observed in all the world"s oceans in an array of shapes and sizes. There are about 2,000 different species of jellyfish, and they all lack hearts, bones and brains. Pacific sea nettle jellyfish, seen here, are known for their vibrant golden-brown bell and long tentacles, and inhabit the coastal waters of California and Oregon. Moon jellyfish are pale and have short tentacles, and in an unexpected but somewhat appropriate twist, they ventured into space aboard the space shuttle Columbia in 1991 to help scientists study their unique biology. No matter the species, jellyfish play a vital role in the ocean"s food chain, as they are the primary food source for many seawater animals, including sea turtles. Jellies are threatened by climate changes, marine pollution and overfishing, and damage to their populations has reverberating effects on the sea life that depends on them.

© Jim Patterson/Tandem Stills + Motion

palette

Today in History

An experiment in sustainability
Nov 3, 2024International Day for Biosphere Reserves
Nov 3, 2025Jellyfish swimming in the Pacific, Guerrero, Mexico

More Desktop Wallpapers:

The dawn of a new beginning
Natures boost fruit
Apr 13, 2026International Dark Sky Week
Feb 27, 2025Polar bear cub, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada
Dec 15, 2025Spiegelgracht canal in Amsterdam, Netherlands
May the 4th be with you
May 20, 2026World Bee Day
Mar 19, 2026Short-beaked echidna, Adelaide Hills, Australia
Dec 11, 2023Huangshan Mountains, China
Jan 19, 2024Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
Jul 22, 2025Badlands National Park, South Dakota, United States
Mar 14, 2024Ayutthaya Historical Park, Thailand
Dec 19, 2025Bormio, Lombardy, Italy
Apr 17, 2026International Bat Appreciation Day
Take a hike!
Mar 2, 2024Modica, Sicily, Italy
Feb 13, 2024Marigny, New Orleans, USA
Stairway to heaven?
Dec 14, 2024Northern hawk-owl, Canada
The Coast of Death
Jun 19, 2024Reticulated giraffe mother greeting calf in Kenya
Apr 14, 2024Bowling Ball Beach, California, USA
The worlds most exclusive beach?
Sep 3, 2023Skyscrapers in Manhattan
Black sands in a tropical paradise
Jul 31, 2026Virginia Creeper Trail, Damascus, Virginia, United States
Back to the future
Mar 22, 2025Bihar Day
Nov 10, 2025Black-tailed prairie dogs in Badlands National Park, United States
Aug 7, 2025Malshej Ghat, Maharashtra