Meet the "Immortal Jellyfish" turritopsis nutricula

I found out about this recently, I checked to see if anyone had posted on anything similar and I didnt find anything. So here you go.
Pretty sure this is in the right forum, if not, mods please move.

green.yahoo.com...

Since it is capable of cycling from a mature adult stage to an immature polyp stage and back again, there may be no natural limit to its life span. Scientists say the hydrozoan jellyfish is the only known animal that can repeatedly turn back the hands of time and revert to its polyp state (its first stage of life).

The key lies in a process called transdifferentiation, where one type of cell is transformed into another type of cell. Some animals can undergo limited transdifferentiation and regenerate organs, such as salamanders, which can regrow limbs. Turritopsi nutricula, on the other hand, can regenerate its entire body over and over again. Researchers are studying the jellyfish to discover how it is able to reverse its aging process.

Because they are able to bypass death, the number of individuals is spiking. They're now found in oceans around the globe rather than just in their native Caribbean waters. "We are looking at a worldwide silent invasion," says Dr. Maria Miglietta of the Smithsonian Tropical Marine Institute.

Hopefully the link works, bear with me if it doesn't I am not a pro at threads.

Perhaps we could harness its incredible ability, but at the same time, would that be wise?

You watched QI recently didn't you?

All we need to do to stop them taking over the place is either discover they make a great fuel or tell the Japanese they taste lovely.

Problem solved.

reply to post by ReeceIkyle


Nice to meet you Mr and Mrs Jellyfish Iam Boy...BoyMonkey
Dont forget that Lobsters could live for ever too

Originally posted by Pressthebutton
Perhaps we could harness its incredible ability, but at the same time, would that be wise?

Exactly the two sided coin this brings; on the one hand, presumably we could all live forever, however on the other hand if we do utilize this ability somehow, we would destroy ourselves unless we were space-faring and could start colonizing other worlds...

The time is now for the research into this ability, the time for implementation is when we start to either colonize or terraform our third planet (save it for the next world after Mars). By then, we should have the confidence in our ability to spread our democracy to other worlds and be able to colonize en masse to those worlds, and we will have plenty of room for our exponential growth to live forever.

Originally posted by PressthebuttonPerhaps we could harness its incredible ability, but at the same time, would that be wise?

edit on 4-12-2011 by Pressthebutton because: (no reason given)

Actually we are very close to being able to greatly extend human life, most people under 30 today are likely to live pass 150 (wars, famine, etc not withstanding). I'd suggest reading The Singularity is Near by Kurzweil as an introduction into what all is happening in this space.

I remember hearing on the news that around age 90, human aging actually stops...

www.dailymail.co.uk...

I know they speak of a stone-age diet in that article, but it was the only one I could readily find...So maybe scientists can use that feature and lower it's activation time to say 50? It would definately have to activate AFTER menopause in women.. Last thing we need is ageless & fertile humans.

reply to post by ReeceIkyle

Euww! Would you eat it? Jellyfish in sesame oil and chili sauce does not look appetising to me! Are they poisonous like those Puffer fish? I can see a problem here if that is the case..

reply to post by LightSpeedDriver


I wouldn't but then I wouldn't eat raw fish either.

reply to post by Zaphod

I think you'll find that for most people right now in the western world, life-span will not be increasing due to the contaminants in our food, water and medicine. Just my 2 cents. My Grandmother died aged 90, my Dad was barely 65. I personally do not expect to live as long as my father but I could be wrong.

reply to post by ReeceIkyle

Its been fried in oil. Check my pic above. Looks like a funny coloured tripe to me. Blechh!

ETA Reread your post. Raw fish is not on my menu either, I don't blame you at all!

reply to post by LightSpeedDriver

I would have a go, I will eat anything once for a laugh, Oh and last poster Sushi is so good for you and tastes great, there is a reason the Japanese live so long....Raw fish

reply to post by boymonkey74

Fish can have a relatively high Mercury content. The Japanese also apparently like to eat Dolphin which are even more laden with Mercury. Not to mention antagonising most other western people who consider the Dolphin to be almost a Holy Mammal. (Along with Whales)

You are what you eat, but you better be sure before you eat it!

ETA Call me squeamish but the idea of eating most "seafood" such as octopus, squid, sea cucumbers and all that cockles and mussels alive alive-o just fills me with the urge to barf. I like salmon and cod and hake. Thats it. And I don't eat much fish cos its been over-fished. Th salmon I sometimes eat is the cheap, Norwegian cultured, filled with hormones and anti-biotics cos it ain't natural, type stuff. It sucks.

Originally posted by LightSpeedDriver
reply to post by Zaphod

 

I think you'll find that for most people right now in the western world, life-span will not be increasing due to the contaminants in our food, water and medicine. Just my 2 cents. My Grandmother died aged 90, my Dad was barely 65. I personally do not expect to live as long as my father but I could be wrong.

You would be wrong ,) Read the book, and others of the ilk, then I'll be happy to discuss. Most folks have no idea whats really going on in science, computers, and biology (they think they do, but its not until you start putting all the pieces together that you start seeing where this is heading).