What? Let me explain. Pink fragile sea urchins (genus Strongylocentrotus) really put the “strong” in Strongylocentrotus. Research done by Friday Harbor Labs Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. Kirk Sato, shows that differences in natural environmental oxygen and pH conditions can cause differences in urchin skeleton strength. Learn more in today’s comic: “Strong”-ylocentrotus.

Learn some fast facts about the pink urchin …And if you are feeling really “strong”, check out Kirk’s paper.