Why scientists are giving jellyfish artificial body parts

TEXT: Scientists are giving jellyfish artificial body parts. IMAGE: jellyfish
TEXT: Notice the blue probe on this jellyfish? It could help these sea creatures monitor the deepest oceans. IMAGE: A jellyfish with a small probe on it.
TEXT: Moon jellyfish — also known as Aurelia aurita — are a common feature of aquariums across the globe. They move through the water by contracting and then relaxing their moon-shaped bodies. IMAGE: A kid smiles, watching jellyfish
TEXT: In January 2020, scientists at Stanford University in the U.S. revealed a prosthetic implant that increases the creature’s muscle contractions. IMAGE: A hand holding a small blue probe.
TEXT: The prosthetic does no harm to the animal, but allows it to move through water three times faster than usual. IMAGE: An illustration of jellyfish with probes under water.
TEXT: Stanford bioengineer Nicole W. Xu believes that these modified jellyfish could explore sensitive areas of the oceans to measure the effects of things like climate change. IMAGE: A woman smiling
TEXT: Now that the jellyfish have become faster, the next goal for scientists is to figure out how to direct them. They hope the creatures can explore depths of the ocean that human researchers can’t get to. IMAGE: A girl leans on glass in an aquarium, looking at a lot of jellyfish