Share this:

"/>

Snot’s your house

A “giant larvacean” and its “inner house,” which is a mucus filter that the animal uses to collect food. The creature builds a huge mucous structure that functions as an elaborate feeding tool, guiding food particles into the animal’s mouth. When the filters get clogged, the larvacean abandons them. Photo: Monterrey Bay Aquarium Research Institute via AP https://newsela.com/read/critter-snot-palaces/id/2001009851/activities

If you’re a larvacean, you work constantly without a break to save the planet. Larvaceans are tiny invertebrates that are always filtering food – or, microplastics – from the sea. They build a system around their body with mucus that comes out of their heads. Once the cozy “snot house” is clogged the larvaceans shed it and it will drop it to the ocean floor.

The disposed of outer house – made of carbon – is useful even when if falls to the seafloor. These abandoned homes will absorb energy from the atmosphere and circulate it back to stabilize the planet. Any organism that can work to stabilize our atmosphere is a complete superhero these days – even if “snot’s your house”.

Find more here.

Speak Your Mind

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.