This Tiny Glowing Jellyfish in the Ocean Reveals an Incredible Secret to Immortality

Oceans across the world are full of unique marine creatures that have the power to amaze us with their unbelievable abilities. For instance, some of these creatures can survive even in extreme heat or rising pressure, while others use clever tricks like camouflage or bioluminescence. Similarly, deep in the ocean, there lives a creature that is so small that it is very easy to overlook, but it carries one of nature’s most mind-blowing secrets. The glowing jellyfish, also known as Turritopsis dohrnii, has the remarkable ability to become biologically immortal. Experts are fascinated by this extraordinary discovery, as it challenges our understanding of aging and survival.

Most people imagine jellyfish as the beautiful floating creatures seen in the ocean. This form is actually called the 'Medusa stage,' which is the second phase of their life cycle. However, the life of a jellyfish begins in the form of a tiny larvae that stick to the rocks and grow into a polyp, which can then multiply quickly and form massive colonies. Then, analyzing the conditions of the surroundings, these polyps release baby jellyfish. What makes it immortal is an even more amazing phenomenon. When a Turritopsis dohrnii jellyfish dies, it allegedly transforms back into polyps, starting the life cycle all over again, as reported by BBC Earth.

Additionally, this process doesn't just happen once; it can happen again and again, and under ideal conditions, these jellyfish might never die from old age. As reported by the National History Museum, museum curator Miranda Lowe spoke about this and said, “We might be distracted watching much larger jellyfish, but the tiny things such as this can inform so much of our science about these animals.” Dr Lisa-ann Gershwin, a jellyfish researcher based in Tasmania, also spoke about the discovery and said, “This was a real mind blower for all of us. It's one of the most amazing discoveries of our time.”

Lowe further mentioned that studying these jellyfish can be a challenging process. She said, “A lot of deep-ocean science takes a long time, and it is very costly to do observations over time to see change.” Moving ahead, it was stated that although this jellyfish can reset its life cycle, it isn’t always the case. Predators like larger fish and turtles often feed on jellyfish, even on the immortal ones, with their early stage, the polyp, being even more vulnerable. Lowe said, “The jellyfish must have perfect conditions where they aren't going to be harmed by anything external, such as by humans or other predators.”

Scientists believe that these immortal jellyfish initially appeared in the Mediterranean, but today they have spread and can be found in oceans across the globe. Meanwhile, the immortal jellyfish isn’t the only one with the special ability. In 2011, a man in China saw a dead moon jellyfish grow a new polyp after around three months. It has been claimed that this ability is found in about five jellyfish species. Moreover, while experts currently don’t see a connection between jellyfish immortality and humans, in the future, genetic research might make it possible.

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