Jellyfish Mucus Found to be a Cause of Sea Itch

Thimble jellyfish, the tentacles of Portuguese Men-of-War: the seas seem full of stuff that hurts. Sometimes you don't get to see what stings you.

At least one culprit for stinging water, that irritating phenomenon often encountered by divers in tropical waters, has been discovered to be the invisible mucus of Cassiopeia xamachana, a jellyfish that spends its time hanging upside-down.

After years of research, scientists led by Cheryl Ames, a marine biologist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, found the answer right under their noses. It's a malicious mucus emitted by the jellyfish shot into the surrounding water.

You can get stung just if you get near. One of the best protections for a diver fully clad in a wetsuit is to grow a beard. Ladies need not try.