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Everybody Loves Sea Monkeys
© Copyright DiscoverThisNearly 50 years have passed since Harold von Braunhut first thought of selling brine shrimp as pets. The tiny creatures we now call Sea Monkeys have come a long way during that half century, and their popularity as beloved pets and educational entertainers continues to grow among children and adults.
What Are Sea Monkeys?
Because brine shrimp (Artemia salina) are extremely small and short-lived, von Braunhut and a colleague created a hybrid Artemia that grows larger and has a longer life span than its simpler cousin. They named their hybrids Artemia NYOS for the New York Ocean Science Lab in which they were developed, but most people know them as Sea Monkeys.
First dubbed "Instant Life," Sea Monkeys appear to come alive magically when placed in a saline solution, but the magic is actually science. "A Sea Monkey egg is like a little time capsule that is impervious to just about everything," says George Atamian, President and COO of Amazing Live Sea Monkeys, the company that produces the lovable pets. The eggs are naturally coated with a substance that allows them to withstand intense heat, light, dryness and other adverse conditions, but "when conditions are right," explains Atamian, "...the eggs hatch." Talk about survival of the fittest!
Now sold in over 30 countries, Sea Monkeys make wonderful pets. (They're especially ideal as first pets!) They're easy to care for and require very little space, but they provide hours of entertainment and education.
You've Come A Long Way, Sea Monkey!
Since hitting the market in 1960, Sea Monkey habitats and accessories have continued to change with the times. From the first Sea Monkey tank ever marketed - the Ocean Zoo - to the latest Mini Worlds series, Sea Monkey owners can watch their beloved pets swim and play on the Moon, at the beach, in the big city and beyond. Built-in magnifiers make it easy to spot the tiny babies and examine their changing anatomy as they grow. (Watch as the one-eyed babies grow into three-eyed adults and as the egg sacs of mature females fill with eggs!) They can accompany you on your daily adventures in a Sea Monkeys Pink Friendship Locket or Sea Monkeys Wrist Aquarium, and you can act out your own Sea Monkey adventures with Sea Monkey action figures.
They Are Everywhere
Once you get hooked on Sea Monkeys, you'll start to see them everywhere. The tiny creatures have surfaced in movies including Finding Nemo and Superman Returns and they were featured in the short-lived 1990's television series "The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys". Rockers Liz Phair and the Pixies have sung about them and celebrities from Drew Barrymore to Kate Bosworth to Johnny Knoxville are said to be Sea Monkey owners. Brooke Shields is such an avid enthusiast she sported one Sea Monkey tank in her television office and another at her television home on the show Suddenly Susan. Sea Monkey websites from the fantastic to the fanatic Sea Monkey Worship and Sea Monkey Mania offer everything from advice and product reviews to discussion boards and fun and games, and there are even Sea Monkey groups on Yahoo with hundreds of members who post monkey messages daily.
What Will The Future Hold?
As the popularly acclaimed "Sea Monkey Tribal Chief," Atamian is enthusiastic about the future of Sea Monkeys. He's developing new kits like the "Big Baby Birthday Pack," which features everything you need for a complete birthday party (except food and drinks), including eight complete Ocean Zoo sets; and the "Night Life Gems" kit with phosphorescent disks to attract the light sensitive Artemia. Both will be available in 2007.
Beyond that, expect to see Sea Monkeys in new venues such as pet stores and possibly even your local school. Inspired by a teacher in Dade County, Florida, who used Sea Monkeys to teach third grade biology, curriculum materials are being developed to show teachers how to use the "instant pets" effectively and humanely in class. And keep your eyes peeled for Sea Monkeys in upcoming television commercials and a full-length feature film, says Atamian. "It's a team effort around the world," he adds. "Everyone who works with Sea Monkeys loves them."
If you enjoyed raising Sea Monkeys as a kid, it's time to revisit that sense of enchantment with your own children ... and if you've never raised the "instant pets," there's no time like the present to embark on the classic adventure your entire family will enjoy! Check out all the sensational Sea Monkey toys and fun Sea Monkey facts at Discover This, and remember, always be kind to your Sea Monkeys!
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