About this episode
The episode explores the potential for immortality in humans through the study of the immortal jellyfish and its unique biological abilities.
Could immortality ever be possible for humans? It sounds like something from a sci-fi movie, but floating in oceans around the world is a tiny, transparent jellyfish that could hold the answer... Turritopsis dohrnii, known as 'the immortal jellyfish', isn’t immortal in the true sense of word - it can die - but it has a nifty way of avoiding that fate. In times of stress, this miniscule jelly can biologically reverse its aging process, reverting from 'medusa' (adult jellyfish) to a juvenile form and starting its life-cycle again; potentially ad infinitum. Abilities like these could hold the key to - if not exactly 'immortality', then at least regenerative or long-life treatments for humans in future. But of course there's a catch: these extremely delicate jellyfish can still easily die from predation, disease, or environmental threats and are extremely difficult to keep healthy in a lab environment. Hannah and Dara hear about new technology that could change the way we study immortal jellyfish, and discover various other super-abilities in the animal kingdom that could help in our quest for healthier, longer lives. Contributors: - Miranda Lowe, Principal Curator of Crustacea and…
People in this episode
Hosts: Hannah, Dara
Guests: Miranda Lowe, Alex Cagan, Maria Pia Miglietta
Topics covered
- immortality
- jellyfish
- regenerative medicine
- marine biology
- aging
- animal abilities
Keywords
- immortal jellyfish
- Turritopsis dohrnii
- regenerative treatments
- aging reversal
- marine biology
- longer life
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: London’s Natural History Museum, University of Cambridge, Texas A&M University
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