Something you probably never knew about lobsters...
Did you know it used to be considered cruel and unusual punishment to feed prisoners in Maine lobster more than twice a week?
I learned that on a trip to Maine nearly 20 years ago and it’s stayed with me.
(And I checked, the internet backs this story up).
But I can’t say I’ve given much thought to lobsters since then - until I heard a story about lobsters that made me curious.
And it turns out that lobsters can teach us a thing or two about development…
Did you know that a lobster never stops growing?
Lobsters are ‘indeterminate growers’ – meaning they grow their entire life – but interestingly, a lobster’s shell does not change. It cannot expand with the lobster’s body.
In order to grow, lobsters must molt, shed their shells in a process called ecdysis, and grow a new shell.
During the molting process, the lobster will develop a new shell that will be an exact replica of the previous one – including bumps and irregularities. The lobster can also regenerate any lost limbs or body parts during this process (so if it’s lost a claw in a fight, a new claw will grow with the new shell).
Most adult lobsters molt once every 1-2 years, but young lobsters need to shed their shells often to accommodate their frequent growth. It can take a lobster 5-7 years to reach one pound – and it may molt 25 times during that period.
Although lobsters go through this process often, it’s not easy.
Each molting process requires more and more energy than the one before it – and some lobsters die naturally during the process, as the exertion proves to be too much. The lobster is also temporarily vulnerable to attack from predators while it waits for its new shell to harden.
While a lobster knows it must molt in order to survive, it can resist change and repress the process. Lobsters have glands in their eyestalks that release a hormone that inhibits molting. The lobster can temporarily delay the change, but eventually, it must grow if it wants to survive.
And it knows it's time to grow when it begins to feel uncomfortable.
Their transformation can be traumatic, but the scars heal. And they emerge bigger and stronger than they were before.
So too, can we.
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Bonus Fun Fact: Thanks to my mom who shared a story about Florida stone crabs having the same regenerative capabilities - and how removing one claw is part of sustainable fishing practices.
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Fire Me, Please - What it feels like to juggle work, childcare, and ‘educating in a pandemic’ right now
Dear Justin, Your Apology Sucks - How do you apologize for the pain you’ve caused people’s careers, livelihoods, and mental health? Not with something from the Notes App.
Three Lessons From Whatever Is Going On With Armie Hammer - Is he really a cannibal? I don’t know - but I do have thoughts his statement to the allegations.