Why the U.S. Still Bleeds Horseshoe Crabs Despite a Lab-Made Alternative

Why the U.S. Still Bleeds Horseshoe Crabs Despite a Lab-Made Alternative

On boat decks along the Atlantic coast in the cool dark of night, horseshoe crabs are hauled from the sea. The ancient creatures have a smooth, round shell, like an upside-down plate, and a long spindle of a tail dragging behind them as they scuttle along the deck. When they reach shore, they’re driven to bleeding facilities, where they are wiped with alcohol pads and iodine. A needle is inserted into their pericardial membrane — a soft spot on …