Sep 29, 2010

Biological immortality

There is a Jellyfish whose biology allows it to go from a fully mature Medusa, to its polyp stage and back again indefinitely. The Turritopsis nutricula is a small jellyfish with an ability so far unique in the animal kingdom. It is the only known jellyfish to have developed the ability to return to a polyp state. Or basically, reverse its life cycle, then grow up again. This process allows the jellyfish to bypass death. In fact, there may be no natural limit to its life span. The process is called transdifferentiation.

Read more at The Daily Leopard

No comments:

Post a Comment