Living Fossils & Blue Blood: Developed by Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School
Living Fossils & Blue Blood: A Biology Investigation of the Horseshoe Crab, Biomedical Technology and Resource management
As part of their living environment science class, 9th grade students from the Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, explored the habitat and niche of the horseshoe crab. They learned that, over 300 million years old, the species is an invaluable food source to migrating birds and also valuable to human health. A pint of the horseshoe crab’s blue blood is valued over $15,000 for its ability to detect dangerous contaminants in vaccine and other health technology. Students assisted local scientists with a community research project seeking to create an accurate census of the crab’s east coast population. They also created a grant proposal suggesting conservation and management plans for the horseshoe crab’s continuing survival and contribution to its ecosystem, human health, and local economies.
