The immortal jellyfish (Turritopsis dohrnii), Earth's longest-living animal, can theoretically live forever by reverting to its juvenile polyp stage through a process called transdifferentiation. This ability allows it to avoid death by regenerating when injured or starved. While its exact lifespan is unprovable due to limited study, this tiny jellyfish has existed since before the dinosaurs. The jellyfish’s life cycle includes transforming from a fertilized egg to a medusa, but it can revert back to a polyp when threatened. Despite this impressive biological feat, the jellyfish can still be killed by predators. Researchers, like Dr. Maria Pia Miglietta, study its genes to understand this process, hoping it might one day provide insights into human cellular regeneration. However, practical applications for human immortality remain distant. These jellyfish are primarily found in tropical waters globally, often spread by human activity through ballast water in ships.Read more- https://tinyurl.com/yvjh33ra#todayilearned #sciencesphere
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