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Weirder Than Science Fiction: How Sea Urchins Reproduce

You can't make this stuff up

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American



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Sea urchin larvae grow up by turning themselves inside out like a sock. Adults breed by releasing clouds of eggs and sperm that join to become microscopic larvae. The larvae float through the ocean until they find a good spot to rest, then their tube feet reach out from within to invert their bodies. Watch the awkward and amazing transformation in the newest Deep Look video.

 

Lydia Chain is a freelance science journalist, podcaster, and videographer. She hosts Undark's podcast, and also writes about nature, the environment, and evolution, especially when it involves the intersection of humans and wild spaces or animals behaving strangely.

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