Scientists have made an incredible discovery—a marine creature that can turn back the clock on its age! This creature, called the comb jelly or Mnemiopsis leidyi, can transform itself from an adult back to a younger version. Unlike most animals that go through birth, aging, and then death, this species seems to have found a way to “rewind.”
A Surprising Observation
One of the scientists, Joan J. Soto-Angel, was shocked when he spotted a larval comb jelly in his lab where an adult jelly was supposed to be. On closer inspection, he realized it was the same creature, which had somehow become young again. This finding led Soto-Angel and his team to dive into an experiment.
The Experiment
To see if they could recreate this effect, the scientists stressed the adult comb jelly under certain lab conditions. Remarkably, they found that extreme stress caused the jellyfish to return to a younger stage, called the “cydippid larva” stage. Not only did it change shape, but it also changed its feeding behavior to match that of a larva.
A “Time-Travel Machine” in Nature
“This discovery makes us rethink early animal development,” Soto-Angel shared. It raises big questions—are there other creatures with similar abilities? This research has opened a window into understanding life cycles and aging in ways we never thought possible.
The comb jelly isn’t alone in this unusual ability. Its cousin, the “immortal jellyfish” (Turritopsis dohrnii), has also been seen reversing its development. Both creatures might hold clues that could help scientists learn more about aging, not just in animals but in humans too.
What Could This Mean for Us?
With more research, scientists hope to find out if this ability to reverse aging could someday help us understand and maybe even control human aging. For now, though, the comb jelly stands as a unique example of how amazing, and mysterious, the natural world can be.
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