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cover of episode Harnessing Spineless Sea Creatures' Superpowers

Harnessing Spineless Sea Creatures' Superpowers

2025/4/28
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Short Wave

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D
Drew Harvell
主持人
专注于电动车和能源领域的播客主持人和内容创作者。
Topics
主持人: 海洋无脊椎动物种类繁多,对海洋生态系统至关重要,它们的功能和作用常被忽视。它们拥有许多‘超能力’,例如光合作用、再生能力、超强力量和窃取其他动物的能力,这些能力不仅可以帮助研究人员了解生命规律,还可以转化为药物。 Drew Harvell: 海绵动物非常美丽,功能看似简单,但实际上具有神奇的功能,例如产生抗癌药物。某些海绵体内寄生的细菌会产生抗癌化合物,目前已用于临床试验。海蛞蝓(海兔)拥有各种各样的颜色和形状,它们能从食物中获取化学防御能力。某些海蛞蝓能摄取海葵的刺细胞,并将其用于自身防御。海蛞蝓摄取外来器官的能力为移植手术提供了新的思路。海星拥有独特的生理结构和生态作用,是重要的生态系统工程师。海星浪费病导致海星数量锐减,进而影响了海藻林的生态平衡。海星利用数百个管足和特殊的皮肤结构来捕食蛤蜊。海星的‘智能皮肤’为肌腱替代疗法提供了新的思路。 Drew Harvell: 应该让人们了解海洋无脊椎动物的价值,并采取措施保护它们。这些生物在地球上已经存在了超过6亿年,它们对气候变化有着惊人的适应能力,蕴藏着许多对我们有用的秘密和谜团。

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From starfish and sea slugs to jellyfish and sponges, the ocean's invertebrates are some of the most ancient and diverse critters on Earth. And so are their superpowers, as marine biologist Drew Harvell) calls their unique abilities. In her new book, The Ocean's Menagerie), she chronicles the amazing abilities of some of these spineless creatures and showcases how they've inspired our science and medicine. Listen to our past episode on nudibranchs — the potent slugs of the sea — HERE.)Want to hear more stories about underwater marvels? Email us and let us know at [email protected]).Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at* plus.npr.org/shortwave*)*.*Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices)NPR Privacy Policy)