Driven by questions about how overfishing, coastal development, and climate change were contributing to a jellyfish population explosion, Juli embarked on a scientific odyssey. Recent, massive blooms of billions of jellyfish have clogged power plants, decimated fisheries, and caused millions of dollars of damage. More than a decade ago, Juli Berwald left a career in ocean science to raise a family in landlocked Austin, Texas, but jellyfish drew her back to the sea. Yet until recently, jellyfish were largely ignored by science, and they remain among the most poorly understood of ocean dwellers.

Made of roughly 95 percent water, some jellies are barely perceptible virtuosos of disguise, while others glow with a luminescence that has revolutionized biotechnology. Their sting-microscopic spears that pierce with five million times the acceleration of gravity-is the fastest known motion in the animal kingdom. They make a venom so toxic it can kill a human in three minutes. Jellyfish have been swimming in our oceans for well over half a billion years, longer than any other animal that lives on the planet. Spineless can serve as inspiration for any of us to reclaim a creative space in the midst of family life.” -NPRĪ former ocean scientist goes in pursuit of the slippery story of jellyfish, rediscovering her passion for marine science and the sea’s imperiled ecosystems. “Part travelogue, part memoir, part deep-dive (literally) into the world of jellyfish.

Spineless jellyfish book