The Essential Rhythm 6/25/23: Blue Blood

Producer/Host: Sarah O’Malley

This episode explains why horseshoe crabs’ blood is blue as well as the critically important substance found in it. Limulus amoebocyte lysate is isolated from horseshoe crab blood and used to test the sterility of medical equipment and vaccines, and as of yet has no approved synthetic alternative in the United States.

About the host:
Sarah O’Malley is an ecologist, naturalist and science communicator passionate about deepening her listeners’ experiences with the natural world. She teaches biology and sustainability at Maine Maritime Academy and is currently collaborating on a guide book to the intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine.