Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

'Benjamin Button' Jellyfish Are Immortal

Can revert to younger form and reproduce

By Matt Cantor, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 3, 2009 11:41 AM CST

(Newser) – For some aging jellyfish, their best years may still be ahead: Faced with a threat, one species can essentially turn itself younger again, National Geographic reports. Turritopsis dohrnii reverts its cells to a “younger state,” says a researcher, and becomes a blob; from there, it develops into a colony reminiscent of its younger self. That colony can then asexually reproduce copies of the original, rendering it “immortal.”

Turritopsis has lately been swarming the world’s oceans, and oddly, specimens found in one area of the world are genetically identical to those from another. Scientists think the jellyfish are hitching a ride on boats rather than spreading via currents. The creature’s ability to “switch off some genes and to switch on” others could give clues to fighting cancer, notes a biologist.

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

The Turritopsis dohrnii and Turritopsis nutricula species of jellyfish are virtually immortal, having the ability to return cells to a younger state when threatened with death.

The jellyfish is like Brad Pitt's 'Benjamin Button' character, who ages backward. (Paramount Pictures)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Instead of sure death, (Turritopsis) transforms all of its existing cells into a younger state. - Maria Pia Miglietta, researcher, Pennsylvania State University

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Researchers Create Mice With 2 Daddies

No one's entirely sure why

(NEWSER) - Scientists at the University of Texas have managed to create mice from the genetic material of two males. A female mouse was involved, of course—researchers engineered one whose eggs contained only DNA from a male, then mated her with another male—but genetically the mice have two fathers. Scientists touted the procedure as “a new form of mammalian reproduction,” though the Wall Street Journal says that its “practical benefits are far from clear.” More»

Jellyfish Cells Used to Make Cancer Glow

Doctors say technique will help diagnose hard-to-spot cancers

(NEWSER) - A team of British scientists has dreamed up a way to track down cancerous tumors deep inside the body—by making them light up like a jellyfish. The scientists created viruses that contain light-generating green fluorescent proteins (GFPs) derived from jellyfish cells, the BBC explains. When injected into a patient, the viruses are designed to seek out cancer cells; as they grow, they generate more light. The result: a bunch of glowing tumors that can easily be spotted by a specialized camera. More»

Why Women Live Longer Than 'Disposable' Men

Females built to last for reproductive success: scientist

(NEWSER) - Women have their hardworking cells to thank for the fact that they tend to live longer than men, argues a scientist. Experts believe aging is caused by tiny problems in the body, and we die when our bodies stop repairing these issues, the Daily Mail reports. Women, suggests the UK scientist, are genetically hardwired to maintain their cells longer, while men are more biologically “disposable.” More»

Booze Makes You Age Faster

Alcohol damages cells that lead to aging, cancer

(NEWSER) - Geezerdom could be just a few pints away, according to a new study from Italy. Alcohol damages cells that have been linked to both premature aging and cancer, the research shows. “Heavy alcohol users tend to look haggard” for a reason, the lead researcher tells the Daily Telegraph . “It is commonly thought heavy drinking leads to premature aging and earlier onset of diseases of aging.” More»

3 US Genetics Researchers Win Medicine Nobel

Work in replication of chromosomes may aid cancer treatment

(NEWSER) - Three American scientists won the Nobel Prize for Medicine today for their work on the replication of chromosomes, which has implications for cancer, aging, and stem cell research. The laureates focused on a string of DNA at the end of chromosomes, called telomeres, and discovered an enzyme that allows dividing cells to copy the entire length of genetic material without degradation. Several clinical trials are investigating whether eliminating this enzyme might be useful in cancer treatment. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

'Benjamin Button' Jellyfish Are Immortal