The Jellyfish That Rewinds Its Life
Nature hides strange wonders, but few are as jaw dropping as a jellyfish that refuses to grow old.
Turritopsis dohrnii begins life like any ordinary jellyfish, drifting and pulsing through the sea.
When it faces stress or the natural decline of age, it performs a biological magic trick.
Instead of dying, it reverts its cells and transforms back into its youthful polyp stage. It literally starts over.
Image via The Real Immortal Jellyfish. Science Illustrator: Meghan Rocktopus
Scientists call this shape shifting “cellular transdifferentiation,” a process that lets the animal switch cell types and rebuild itself from the ground up.
Why Die?
This type of evolution feels magical, and borderline impossible, yet nature yet again surprises us.
With our world obsessed with newness and reinvention, this tiny jellyfish shows us how rebirth can really occur.
Even simple, tiny life can be circular, creative, and surprisingly resilient.
“Instead of dying, it reverts its cells and transforms back into its youthful polyp stage. It literally starts over.”
Images via BBC, Wikipedia, The Real Immortal Jellyfish.
For more amazing natural wonders, check out this epic battle between a heron and a snake.
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