today in nightmare-inducing photographs

When I was eleven-years-old I was stung by a jellyfish while swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, and it was - at least at the time - the single most terrifying thing that has ever happened to me. That one little sting bashed my previously held dream of being a marine biologist, as my fear of sea creatures soon outweighed the prettiness of sea shells. I refused to enter the ocean long afterward, and to this day I'll only go up to my knees in salt water, shuffling the whole time for fear of stingrays.

So, needless to say this National Geographic picture along with the news that 1) jellyfish such as these exist, and that 2) experts are warning that "another giant jellyfish invasion may be on the horizon" all collected to send a cold shiver up and down my spine:

Bloody terrifying. My only solace is that they seem to be focusing their assault on the coast of Japan, and that Japan isn't Michigan. Which is where I live. Far, far away.

(Oh who am I kidding. I'm not sleeping tonight.)

(Via Boing Boing)