# will guns protect me from jellyfish? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 20, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-guns-protect-me-from-jellyfish/536787 "2010-04-20T20:09:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-guns-protect-me-from-jellyfish/536787/61 "2010-04-27T01:19:20Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > WTF?šŸ˜• Itā€™s a reference to a very old, now (thankfully) generally in disuse board meme, which itself is a reference to author Bill Bryson noting that humans have made one trip to the deepest part of the ocean (the Marianas Trench), and it lasted for a mere 20 minutes, and took place way back in 1960. I think someone accidentally triple posted the original reference back in the days when the boards were even more temperamental than they are now, and somehow it caught on. So thatā€™s what any reference to ā€œOnce, in 1960, for twenty minutesā€ means, at least as far as Iā€™ve been able to ascertain. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-guns-protect-me-from-jellyfish/536787/62 "2010-04-27T16:41:49Z")
Huh, I thought this was in the SDMB [Beginnerā€™s Guide](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=320298), but I guess not. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-guns-protect-me-from-jellyfish/536787/63 "2010-04-27T18:17:23Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Huh, I thought this was in the SDMB [Beginnerā€™s Guide](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=320298), but I guess not. It was, but quite some time ago, and only for a brief periodā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-guns-protect-me-from-jellyfish/536787/64 "2010-04-27T18:40:04Z")
ā€¦ And not since repeated? Walked right into that one, didnā€™t I. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-guns-protect-me-from-jellyfish/536787/65 "2010-04-27T18:47:12Z")
By the way, there _are_ jellyfish that are virtually harmless. I swam through clouds of what I think we called ā€œcomb jelliesā€ or ctenophores, I believe, several years ago in the Keys. They looked much like transparent little (2" - 5") bell peppers. Spooky, but no harm. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-guns-protect-me-from-jellyfish/536787/66 "2010-04-27T19:15:48Z")
[BeerSteak.com is for sale | HugeDomains](http://www.beersteak.com/animals/jellyfish-facts/) Hereā€™s some info on jellies. I am sure it will alleviate your worries. Little video at the end. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-guns-protect-me-from-jellyfish/536787/67 "2010-04-27T19:26:00Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Itā€™s a reference to a very old, now (thankfully) generally in disuse board meme, which itself is a reference to author Bill Bryson noting that humans have made one trip to the deepest part of the ocean (the Marianas Trench), and it lasted for a mere 20 minutes, and took place way back in 1960. > > I think someone accidentally triple posted the original reference back in the days when the boards were even more temperamental than they are now, and somehow it caught on. > > So thatā€™s what any reference to ā€œOnce, in 1960, for twenty minutesā€ means, at least as far as Iā€™ve been able to ascertain. Going back to the OP, anyone going to Australia should read [Bill Bryson](http://www.amazon.com/Sunburned-Country-Bill-Bryson/dp/0767903862) first. I absolutely promise you wonā€™t be worried about the jellyfish anymore. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-guns-protect-me-from-jellyfish/536787.md?page=3)