Discovery Place Science, in Charlotte, has launched a new way to experience one of the ocean’s most fascinating animals. Audiences can now observe the museum’s moon jellies from anywhere through the new Live Jelly Cam.
Made possible through the generous support of Highwoods Properties, the new livestream offers audiences a closer look at moon jellies and their remarkable biology. Moon jellies, classified as scyphozoans, have no brain, heart or bones, and their bodies are made up of roughly 95% water.
Watch the Live Jelly Cam: https://www.youtube.com/@discoveryplacemuseum/live
While the Live Jelly Cam offers an up-close look at moon jellies, Discovery Place Science’s in-house propagation program gives the team the opportunity to raise moon jellies through every stage of their life cycle.
“A moon jelly’s journey includes a tiny, stationary polyp stage attached to a surface before it eventually transforms into a free-swimming medusa—the familiar, bell-shaped form most people picture when they think of a jellyfish,” said Dr. Lisa Hoopes, Chief Science Officer at Discovery Place. “The moon jelly’s transformation is just one example of the extraordinary diversity of life on Earth, where organisms develop, adapt and thrive in fascinatingly different ways.”
The Live Jelly Cam also invites viewers to look for one of the moon jelly’s distinctive features: four pale, horseshoe-shaped rings in the center of its bell. These rings are the animal’s digestive organs. Moon jellies are transparent, an adaptation that helps them blend into their open-water surroundings and avoid detection by predators. This transparency also makes their food visible as it passes through their digestive system. After feeding, the rings can take on an orange tint from compacted brine shrimp the jelly has eaten.
“At Highwoods Properties, we believe in supporting vibrant, thriving communities and creating experiences that inspire curiosity, drive innovation and bring people together,” said Brian Leary, EVP & COO at Highwoods. “We are proud to partner with Discovery Place Science on the Live Jelly Cam. Inspiring wonder and lifelong learning is better together and central to a vibrant city. We are excited to help share the beauty of these moon jellies with audiences near and far.”
Connecting jelly care with scientific discovery
Discovery Place Science’s work with moon jellies extends beyond museum walls. The museum has shared jellies with institutions including UNC Charlotte and other facilities across the region, supporting research into topics ranging from epigenetics to heavy metal contamination.
The museum’s moon jellies have also contributed to peer-reviewed research. In 2021, Discovery Place Science’s jellies were studied by researchers from Australia, Brazil, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Smithsonian who sought to better understand variation among moon jellies.
The research identified Aurelia coerulea, a species that makes up the majority of Discovery Place Science’s moon jelly population, and indicated that there are at least 28 species of moon jellies globally that the research formally described and accepted to date.
“Through animal care, propagation and collaboration with researchers, Discovery Place Science helps connect visitors and the scientific community with questions that deepen our understanding of these remarkable animals,” said Dr. Hoopes.
Adopt a jelly and support discovery
Discovery Place has also introduced Adopt a Jelly, a giving program that invites supporters to play a role in the museum’s work with moon jellies.
Through a recurring gift to symbolically adopt a moon jelly, supporters help power animal care, conservation research, scientific discovery and science education. Adopters also gain access to exclusive behind-the-scenes stories, photos, updates and other perks.
Learn more about Adopt a Jelly: https://give.discoveryplacemuseums.org/campaign/845949/donate
The Live Jelly Cam is made possible through the generous support of Highwoods Properties, helping Discovery Place Science bring the wonder of moon jellies to audiences everywhere.
The tank enclosure, camera, lighting and broadcast server were designed and installed by Daniel Gray Photography.
About Discovery Place Science
Located in the heart of Uptown Charlotte, Discovery Place Science is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and a leading hub for science learning in the Carolinas. Through exploration, experimentation and discovery, the museum’s educational programs, interactive experiences and large-scale exhibitions invite visitors of all ages to engage with science—cultivating curiosity, inspiring lifelong learning and empowering future generations of thinkers, innovators and problem-solvers. For more information about Discovery Place Science, visit discoveryplace.org.
About Highwoods
Highwoods Properties, Inc., headquartered in Raleigh, is a publicly traded (NYSE: HIW), fully-integrated office real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns, develops, acquires, leases and manages properties in the best business districts (BBDs) of Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Nashville, Orlando, Raleigh, Richmond and Tampa. For more information about Highwoods, please visit our website at highwoods.com.