Pacific sea nettle jellyfish Nov 3, 2023

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, 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

Nov 3, 2024Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, Yucatán, Mexico
Nov 3, 2025Jellyfish, Guerrero, Mexico

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Nov 13, 2023Serra de Tramuntana, Balearic Islands, Majorca, Spain
Sep 22, 2024Buttermere, Lake District National Park, England, United Kingdom
Dec 8, 2024Moorea, French Polynesia
Feb 23, 2025Mount Fuji, Lake Kawaguchi, Japan
Sep 16, 2023Splügen Pass, Switzerland
Jan 1, 2026Arctic fox
Sep 12, 2023North Sea at sunset, Norddorf, Germany
Nov 6, 2024Shi Shi Beach in Olympic National Park, Washington, USA
Aug 30, 2024Whale shark
Aug 28, 2025Great white egret, Hungary
Jul 13, 2024Fairy chimneys and cave dwellings in Cappadocia, Türkiye
Jun 27, 2025Splendid leaf frog
Feb 3, 2026Emerald Bay and Fannette Island, Lake Tahoe, California, United States
Sep 10, 2024Vasco da Gama Bridge, Lisbon
Sep 28, 2023Container ship near a commercial port in Thailand
Mar 3, 2024Leopard in a tree, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Jun 11, 2025Greater flamingos
Mar 15, 2024Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California, USA
Apr 8, 2024European hedgehog
Dec 21, 2025Dawn light through frosty trees, Sweden
Feb 17, 2024The Pragser Wildsee in the Dolomites, Italy
Mar 27, 2024Tea plantation near Munnar, India
Feb 9, 2025Alstrom Point, Lake Powell, United States
Nov 28, 2025Val Brandet, Brescia, Lombardy, Italy
Oct 4, 2023Tarantula Nebula
Sep 5, 2025Santa Monica Pier
Mar 21, 2024Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda
Nov 12, 2024Arches National Park, Utah, United States
Dec 24, 2023Town Hall Square, Tartu, Estonia
Mar 8, 2024Iguazú Falls, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil