Technology has made it a lot easier to plan for that perfect day at the beach.
We've got weather apps, surf apps and even beach cams that all give us an idea of what to expect even before we leave the house.
But what the apps and cams can't really tell us is whether or not we can expect to share the beach with bluebottles – those bothersome sea animals that deliver a sting that will make your day at the beach unforgettable for the wrong reasons.
But today scientists from UNSW Sydney are working on technology that can go so far as predict which beaches and on what days bluebottles will wash ashore.
Using wind and swell forecasts, knowledge about this curious creature's anatomy and lots of complicated maths that oceanography brings with it, the scientists are building a tool that can make the likelihood of picking a beach with bluebottles more than just a matter of (bad) luck.
Still in its testing phase, the plan is to include the prediction tool in Surf Life Saving Australia's app, Beachsafe, when next summer rolls around.
Visit UNSW's online multimedia piece on bluebottles to find out:
- More about the UNSW BluebottleWatch project
- What to do when you get stung
- Fun facts about these strange creatures, including the four different animals that team up to make a bluebottle colony
- Why there are left handed and right handed bluebottles
- How scientists made replicas to understand how they travelled
