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Immortal Jellyfish?

geardrops

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Frankly, the potential terrifies me.

Turritopsis Nutricula is technically known as a hydrozoan and is the only known animal that is capable of reverting completely to its younger self.

It does this through the cell development process of transdifferentiation.

Scientists believe the cycle can repeat indefinitely, rendering it potentially immortal.
 

small axe

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They be immortal, but they be spineless. We can stare them down across the negotiating table and make them our bitches, every time!
Cowards, spineless cowards, going where the current takes them, I say!

I think my Chinese co-workers let me eat a jellyfish once, it was ghastly. Well, ghastly not in taste but in consistency. Or maybe they were just pulling my leg, I dunno. I look up and everyone's watching me, and one guy laughs "How do you like your JELLYFISH?"

Their carry out was excellent, except for the one possible jellyfish incident. But if THAT jellyfish was immortal ... he ain't immortal anymore!
 
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Fenika

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Is cancer research all over this yet?
 

Lhun

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I for one welcome our new jellyfish overlords.
 

small axe

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I for one welcome our new jellyfish overlords.

My point is, they're not exactly racing the mighty salmon up waterfalls, right? My only crisis with jellyfish so far has been, Did I accidently eat one? Not quite the crowns of creation, if you have to worry about NOT eating them.

That said, Portugese Man of Wars used to wash up on the beach, and definitely everyone was "You don't even want to go near that thing. It won't actually pounce per se ... but you'll regret ever going too near"

Why, you ask?

Blow gun darts, I reply. Immortal, helium-filled, flying jellyfish with blow guns!
 

GeorgeK

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Is cancer research all over this yet?

yes, at least they are studying why the Great White Shark does not seem to senesce. They just keep getting bigger until there isn't enough food for them to survive (assuming they aren't killed first) From the description it sounds like that jelly has a different process. I'd like a link on the jellyfish.
 

lpetrich

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Those jellyfish may be able to live forever by reverting to a younger stage in their lifecycle, but they are not invulnerable.

Furthermore, one-celled organisms are essentially immortal in much the same way. They multiply by dividing, disappearing into their offspring.