Jellyfish-Like Creatures Shut Down Nuclear Plant

A horde of jellyfish-like animals has forced the shutdown of a nuclear power plant in California. The gelatinous creatures, 2 to 3 inches long, are called sea salp. The crisis began Tuesday, when workers at the Diablo Canyon plant discovered that screens which take in cooling water were clogged by the critters, reports the San Luis Obispo Tribune. “The conditions got to the point where we had to shut it down,” says the chief nuclear officer. “So we’ll have to wait until the salp situation clears up.”

Sea salp can reproduce sexually and asexually, and "you can have millions in a couple of days," explains a marine biologist. The only other nuclear power plant in California also is currently offline, because of leaks in the generators, but the state does not expect any shortages of electricity. (More California stories.)