Jellyfish Sting Captured by Microscopic Lens

Researchers have figured out exactly how to capture a jellyfish's sting on camera. In the latest episode of the "Smarter Every Day" YouTube show, famous rocket engineer and show leader, Destin Sandlin, captured this aquatic creature's sting in slow motion.

Sandlin used a microscopic lens to closely examine the "most venomous animal in the world." By getting up close and personal with this marine animal, many can begin to see how the jellyfish uses a bunch of tiny hypodermic needles that attach to its tentacles and slightly brush up against its own body to prepare to sting and inject prey with venom, according to Maine News.

It wasn't quite so easy to get this intricate shot. To do so, Sandlin said he had to use a microscope as well as a high-speed camera to get just the right angle and measurement, according to TIME. 

For the video, he also had some help from James Cook University professor Jamie Seymour, an expert on jellyfish and other venomous animals, who lives in Australia.

"We've seen venom come out the end of these things, [but] we've never seen that delay [between deployment and injection] -- but we've never looked for it ... This is the sort of stuff I get up in the morning for ... It's the joy of actually coming in and going 'I just saw something that nobody else in the world has ever seen before.'"

The slow-motion video shows viewers just how the jellyfish's defenses work and how it's best to stay clear of these guys while swimming around in the water.

If you're someone who spends a lot of time out in the ocean, chances are, you've at least come into contact with a jellyfish. It's important to know how to protect yourself from getting stung.

A jellyfish sting is likely to produce an allergic reaction, resulting in difficulty breathing, dizziness, nausea and potential heart palpatations.

As you get out of the water, try not to scratch the sting even if it's itchy. Health officials also recommend to minimize the pain with warm salt water, and, if available, shaving cream of shaving foam via the infected area. Though painful, it's also important to remain extremely still while removing jellyfish tentacles. Certain objects, such as a credit card or razor blade, may help to remove the material.

After removal, see a health official for further assistance.