--- title: "Nuclear Reactors Shut Down by “Jellyfish-Like Organisms”" description: "Small gelatinous marine organisms called sea salps are wreaking havoc on two nuclear reactors in South Korea, forcing them offline, Bloomberg reports." date: "2021-04-07" modified: "2021-04-07" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/nuclear-reactors-shut-down-by-jellyfish-like-organisms" categories: - "Energy" - "Nuclear Fusion" - "Renewable Energy" - "Science & Energy" tags: - "climate change" - "Nuclear Energy" - "nuclear power" - "nuclear reactor" - "South Korea" - "the digest" --- # Nuclear Reactors Shut Down by “Jellyfish-Like Organisms” ![Small gelatinous marine organisms called sea salps are wreaking havoc on two nuclear reactors in South Korea, forcing them offline, Bloomberg reports.]() *\Image: NOAA\* ## Salp Clog Small gelatinous marine organisms called sea salps are wreaking havoc on two nuclear reactors in South Korea, forcing them offline, [*Bloomberg* reports](). In a matter of just three weeks, the critters — which *Bloomberg* described, memorably, as "jellyfish-like organisms" — clogged up water intake valves used to cool down reactors at the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Company's cooling units on two separate occasions. [Sea salps]() are able to form meters-long chains and generally can be found drifting through the ocean in more frequent numbers around June. Thanks to unusually warm weather currents, they're already showing up in increasing numbers. "We can’t say yet if the surge in salps is due to the changing climate or other factors," research scientist at National Institute of Fisheries Science Youn Seok-hyun told *Bloomberg*. "It should be regarded as a temporary phenomenon unless we see a continuous increase over the next decade." ## Warmer Waters While the incident might not necessarily be directly linked to climate change, researchers [have previously suggested]() that salps have spread significantly around the world as a result of climate change. The trend is likely to continue. "Given the current trend, there’s a possibility we may see more of these shutdowns at reactors in the coming years," Chae Jinho, the head of Marine Environment Research and Information Laboratory, told *Bloomberg*. In January, a French nuclear plant had to shut down four of its reactors as a result of [fish getting stuck in the filters of the station's pumping station](). It's yet another sign that climate change can have a real impact. As a result of warmer oceans, marine life is starting to spread in often unpredictable ways — with results that can even impact nuclear infrastructure. **READ MORE:** [Jellyfish-Like Organisms Halt Two South Korean Nuclear Reactors]() \[*Bloomberg*\] **More on nuclear power:** *[Truck Carrying Uranium Crashes in North Carolina, Prompting HAZMAT Response]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()