The jellyfish-like Nanomia bijuga is found throughout the ocean, including off the coast of Oregon and Washington. It’s not much to look at, but the unusual way it moves could help humans design better underwater vehicles. Nanomia moves by jet propulsion — pumping water through its body to push itself forward. University of Oregon researchers found that the animal can control these jets based on its needs, either synching them up for speed or pumping each individually for more efficient swimming. Researchers concluded that the feature could help inform how humans can build more efficient underwater vehicles.

Kelly Sutherland is an associate professor of biology at the University of Oregon. She joins us to talk about jet propulsion and bio-inspired design.