Good Luck Trying to Kill This Jellyfish
This story was originally published by the Guardian and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Immortality is generally considered the realm of the gods or science fiction, a fantasy that’s actively pursued by tech entrepreneurs in macabre experiments that include injecting “young blood,” cryopreservation, or resurrection in an AI afterlife. But one ethereal, thimble-shaped…
Most jellyfish undergo a standard life cycle, starting as larvae and metamorphosing into adult jellies. However, the Turritopsis dohrnii jellyfish possesses an extraordinary ability to cheat death. When faced with unfavorable conditions such as high temperatures, physical damage, starvation, or chemicals in the water, this unique jellyfish does not succumb to death.
Instead, it undergoes a remarkable process called "cellular transdifferentiation," reverting back to a juvenile form and starting its life cycle anew. This phenomenon, known as "immortality," allows the jellyfish to continually reset its life and potentially live indefinitely. Research has shown that these tiny, thimble-shaped jellyfish can theoretically remain alive forever, living in various locations around the world, including the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Japan, Panama, and Brazil.
Despite their delicate appearance, Turritopsis dohrnii jellyfish captivate scientists and the public alike with their astonishing ability to transform and defy aging. As one marine biologist quips, "It’s so hardwired in humans to not want to die, and the absurdity of that being in a jellyfish...just entertains me to no end."
Written by urgent.news from Mother Jones's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
