As you know, any creature is mortally, and each representative of the fauna or flora has a new stay in the world of living. This truth, which is considered axiom, is trying to refute one of unique species Intestine animals - immortal jellyfish nutricula (Turritopsis nutricula ).
The opening of the ability of this type of living beings to live eternally screamed scientific circles, the press and the media - after all, the mystery of the mystery of the immortality of tiny jellyfish does not have hope and we are reasonable, if not to reach eternal being, then at least to lengthen the life of life.

But let's in order.

Jellyfish Turritopsis nutricula Known to the scholar world for a long time - its description was published back in 1857. The reproduction and life cycle of the Nutriculus are quite ordinary - fertilization of the egg with male sexual products in sea water, the conversion of the egg in the planla, the settlement of the planla on the substrate and the formation of the polyp, which buds the tiny jellyfish and so on for a well-known scenario.
The appearance of jellyfish Turritopsis nutricula Also quite ordinary - deep umbrella with a diameter of less than 5 mm is surrounded by a wedge of filament-shaped tentacles, which in newborns have only 8 jellyfish, and in adult individuals can reach 80-100 pieces. Some "decoration" serves a cross-shaped red spot, formed in the center of the umbrella by the organs of the jellyfish. Newborn nutriculus have no more than 1 mm in the diameter of the umbrella - tiny and low-rotory creatures.

But at the end of the last century, this animal revealed one of his amazing properties - The ability to live forever.
The laurels of the opening of the immortality of this jellyfish belong to the Italian Fernando Baero, who completely discovered in a truncated aquarium, where, besides fish and other animals, several individuals lived Turritopsis nutricula, strange polypoid formations. Having considered the discovery attentively, the scientist noticed that these tiny polyps resemble jellyfish Turritopsis nutriculabut only without a tentacle.
Surprised Baero removed all the dead animals from the aquarium, leaving only a strange find, and filled it with water, deciding to check whether the detected polyps were alive. After some time, they came to life and began to develop, then crumbling individuals began to budge from the polyps Turritopsis nutricula.
Incredible - nutriculs turned out to reverse the cycle of their development - after all, all known species of these intestine animals, the meduzoid form is the final stage. life cycle - After the phase of the sexual reproduction of the jellyfish, as a rule, die, giving life to offspring in the form of fertilized cells that turn into planted, and then into the polyps.

Medusa Turritopsis nutricula They crossed this scenario of universal development of hydroid intestines - under the action of adverse factors threatened by their death, they returned to them from adult animals. " children's age". Jellyfish dropped unnecessary tentacles, downtreated to the bottom, and turned into small polyps, which were easier to transfer adversity of the aquarium dehydration.
Essentially, this fact can be represented as the return of an animal from senile age in the children's stage, and if this cycle repeats infinitely, then theoretically it turns out that jellyfish Turritopsis nutricula Capable to an endless life.

Of course, not all organisms on Earth die from old age - enemies, diseases and extremely unfavorable habitat conditions often kill animals and plants long before the exhaustion of the reserve of vitality. But sooner or later, everything is dying, but the immortal jellyfish is capable of returning youth and start life at first.
Of course, it is possible to argue - is this a person and is this jellyfish, what turned into a polyp and pushed off the offspring? After all, the immortality of a separate individual of an animal or plant contradicts many postulates and the laws of life development, including the theory of the evolution of Darwin - each of the following generations of living creatures acquires new qualities and properties to help him survive in the conditions of tough competition in the sun. The body, capable of living forever, does not develop and remains primarily the entire history of its being, so it is a weak level of evolution - he is great for the chance to die from enemies and diseases that are constantly progressing and improving.
Perhaps this happens - no one has yet been able to detect a jellyfish, the age of which would have been calculated for thousands of years - the opening of the Italian Fernando Baero only theoretically "awarded" these animals the ability of eternal being. However, the ability Turritopsis nutricula The repetition of the life cycle is unique and other well-known creatures are not manifested.

The ability of jellyfish Turritopsis nutricula Living forever even caused some panic sentiment and hypotheses in scientific circles - allegedly nutriculs are able to folk the world ocean, displacing others famous species Aquatic animals, thereby disrupt the biological balance of the planet. As a proof, the fact is mentioned that no more nutricated residents were considered residents of water. CaribbeanAnd at present they are met in many seas of warm latitudes.
But such hypothesis do not have a sufficient scientific base - after all, the nutroculas inhabit sea waters Not one million years, nevertheless, the equilibrium of life did not succeed. In addition, jellyfish are generally very stable forms of life, and the expansion of the range separate speciescaused by climate change or other factors known for a long time. In particular, an outbreak of numbers in different regions Nomur's jellyfish not so long ago was the subject of discussing many scientific sources of information and the media.

Systematics of immortal jellyfish looks like this:

• Class: Hydrozoa.
• Squad: Anthomedusae.
• Family: Oceanidae.
• Rod: Turritopsis
• View: Turritopsis nutricula (McCrady, 1857)

Hello readers of the project "On the Edge"! Have you ever wondered what immortality is really? Who is this immortal, where it dwells than food? In general, how to live forever in the world, where the end comprehends everyone? Such a statement sounds like science fiction - Immortal living organism living on Earth, with its existence does not violate any laws of nature. Its life cycle is absolutely natural, includes several stages, peculiar rebirth. But as a result, it turns out that the very organism, practically no change ...

Immortal Jellywood Turritopsis Nutricula

- This is a creature that he cannot die with his death. According to Wikipedia, they do not die and this is the only earthly organism that is able to rejuvenate and infinitely long live, regenerating.

Their discovery occurred absolutely by chance, as often happens with scientific sensations of this level. Their story, by the way, is very similar to the story associated with the opening of Penicillina - there is a multiple scientist, conducting experiences, a forgotten aquarium, and absolutely random result struck many.

Experience with immortal jellyfish

So, Fernando Baero in order to spend some not very important experiences, put several jellyfish in a separate aquarium of Turritopsis Nutricula. The choice fell on them purely by chance - these jellyfish, like most of their fellows, were unknown in wide circles - externally they are not remembered, and because of the size, it is practically imperceptible in general (they reach some 5 millimeters in diameter). In general, small and unbroken experimental. Perhaps it is for this reason a scientist forgot about them. Nobody remembered about the aquarium, he dried, and his inhabitants dried with him.

When it was time to remember about the forgotten and not spent experiment, and finding an empty ass on his place, Mr. Fernando did not have anything else, except to clean it from the accumulated mud. This, by the way, is the only one not docked in all this story with the opening - the scientist is self-cleaning in the cleaning of the inventory, without resorting to the operation of the junior researchers... In our country, it is hard to believe in this, but the details of the story silent - maybe he really.

Whatever it was, during the cleaning of the aquarium to the eyes of the scientist, the dried "corpses" of the jellyfish, which he hastily studied. After all, the scientist must document everything that falls on his arm. Imagine his surprise when he discovered that jellyfish, which were considered quite dead, were alive of all living things, moreover, in a very interesting position - They threw the tentacles and turned into larvae!

Listening to the scientific alarm, Fernando continued the spontaneous experience - he again filled the aquarium with water and left him for a while. The result was not forced to wait. Over time, the larvae turned into polyps from which in turn fresh jellyfish bought.

Opening of eternal life

The result of all these coincidences and random experiments has become an unusual, and even a sensational discovery - these miniature primitive organisms are in a state independently, in the event of the need to "move back" during the development process. They rebuild their body, returning to the initial stage of development, since the "new life".

After research materials were published - photo, video, pictures and documentation, and the life cycle of Medusus was studied in more detail, scientists came to the conclusion that representatives of this species were possible - the only really immortal animal in the world, a living organism with absolute regeneration.

But after studying the range of their habitat - the Caribbean, there was a terrible truth ... the creature that lives forever and constantly gives offspring can disrupt any balanced food chain. The fact is that since they will always be more than necessary, they will simply oust other species.

The subsequent study of these jellyfish gave even more shocking results.

Immortal jellyfish

It turns out turritopsis nutricula capture the planet!

Per recent decades Due to climate change in the equator area for this species, more than profitable terms For breeding. More and more strong warming The planets will soon make it suitable for the life of this species with almost any reservoir on the planet.

But worrying that everything around will be filled with these meduses, since their population is supported at the required level large quantity Natural predators that feed on the offspring turritopsis nutricula.

The discovery of the form with similar extraordinary properties made it possible to make a tangible breakthrough in studies that are funded by the military department.

Their research in the same sphere, but aimed at extending the life of the body, still given best result In the form of a laboratory mouse, the lifetime of which was extended by 20%. But the opening of Fernando Baero gave a new push towards such searches. Perhaps he will still have to answer the question why these jellyfish live so long.

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Text - agent Q.

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Scientific research: Medusa live forever?

Humanity has long been in search of Elixir immortality. The latest scientific evidence suggests that on our beautiful planet there is a creature capable of living forever. It seemed to have long been studied and well-known jellyfish, or rather, little creature Under the name Nutricula. Want to know how I found a jellyfish that lives forever?

Noticeable

Medusa Nutriculus are known in the scientific world for a long time. For the first time, a description of this creature appeared back in the nineteenth century. Reproduction and life cycle Nutriculus are completely ordinary. As with all the jellyfish, the fertilization of eggs with spermatozoa occurs on the surface of the sea, then the eggs turn into a larva. Then the deployment on the bottom and the formation of the polypa, from which tiny jellyfish is separated, which lives forever. Photos of these creatures are presented below.

The appearance of the turritopsis Nutricula jellyfish is not remarkable, rather, it is possible to say that this is a miniature creation. It has an umbrella with a diameter of less than 5 mm, which is surrounded by thin tentacles. At the newly born jellyfish them only 8, while the adult individual has up to 100 pcs. It also has a cross-like red spot, formed in the middle of the umbrella by the organs of the digestion of jellyfish. Newborn nutriculs with a size of only 1 mm.

Amazing Nakhodka

The end of the last century was marked amazing discovery. It turns out that jellyfish live forever. Opening made Italian Fernando Baero. Deciding to clean the aquarium forgotten in due time, the scientist discovered strange polyps. These unusual growths were similar to jellyfish, which before that lived in the aquarium, but only without a tental. The scientist decided to continue the experiment, although the rest of the creatures in the aquarium died. Filling it sea waterBaero began to watch the polyps. After some time, they began to develop, and as a result, tiny jellyfish nutriquels were born.

Happened, it would seem impossible - Nutricula turned cycle own development. Until that time, it was known that all jellyfish have the final stage of development - the reproduction phase. Most of the most intestine animals, and not only they have, the appearance of fertilized cells or eggs leads to the death of adults. And already the young people appear, the meduse of the larva turn into the polyps, and small jellyfish are born of. The opening of the same Boero turned back all the knowledge of jellyfish. So, scientists found a jellyfish that lives forever.

Video on the topic

Life cycle

Representatives of this species, like other types of hydroid organisms, pass 2 stages of development. The first starts with the development of larvae after the fertilization of eggs. Then the larvae fell into the free space is settled to the bottom of the ocean, where they turn into the polyps. Thus, entire colonies of jellyfish appear, by type resembling spindle or mace. On the this stage The development of the polyps form a kind of skeleton, at the end of which there are tentacles with characteristic clarifications of blocking cells. So, a whole colony is able to eat small creatures.

The second stage begins with the separation of young jellyfish from polyps. Thus, small jellyfish begin to lead the familiar lifestyle for us. For several months they reach puberty, and the whole process is repeated again. How nevertheless happens that jellyfish live forever? I wonder what the jellyfish has additional ways Preservation of type.

Features of jellyfish

The preservation of life is associated with the ability of hydroid beings to recovery processes. It has long been known that jellyfish in a short period of time can restore lost parts of the body. It is experimentally proven that the resulted in part of the jelly is capable of reproducing itself. This process is called transdifferentiation. In fact, another of the same cells can develop another, which means that theoretically, all jellyfish live forever. However, these abilities have many other creatures. Lizards can calmly grow a new tail, and scientists are capable of growing individual organs today from stem cells.

But the ability of jellyfish Nutriculus to restore all its body is truly unique. It is able to repeat the process of an infinite number of times and at the same time remain forever young. It is these processes and gave scientists to assume that jellyfish live forever.

Today, scientists have a close observation of this species of jellyfish in order to study the rejuvenation process in more detail. On our amazing planet There are still many unknown creatures that have not yet revealed their secrets.

The only living creature on the planet leading the immortal life is jellyfish turritopsis Nutricula. These Hydroid Class representatives can destroy sea predatorsbut your death amazing creatures never die ever.

Creation, previously reversed

Medusz Area - warm waters seas of tropical and moderate belts. For the first time they were found in the water area Caribbean. External species Turritopsis Nutricula is similar to its numerous fellow.

Aquatic resident is a domed "umbrella", the diameter of which does not exceed 5 mm. The edges of the transparent body are framed by the filamentous tentacles - their number reaches 90 pieces. The decoration of the creature is the red stain of the cross-shaped form, formed by the digestive organs.

Unlike other hydroids, perishing after achieving reproductive age And participation in the process of breeding, immortal jellyfish is again returning to the "Children's" stage of the larvae, which falls on the bottom and grows, turning into a polyp. He, in turn, is transformed into a young person. This cycle of regeneration can last an infinite number of times.

Mechanism of immortality

Lavra discovering immortality belong to the Italian natural scientist Fernando Baero. In one of the aquariums of its laboratory there were several individuals of jellyfish required for the experiment, which, however, the scientist soon forgot. What was the surprise of the researcher, when he saw the tentacles during the cleaning of the vessel and transformed into the larvae jellyfish!

Interested, Boero once again placed the embryo in the water, where they safely reached the stage of the polyps, from which young hydroids were bredked later. In this way scientific world I learned about the natural rejuvenation of Turritopsis Nutricula. According to one of the hypothesis of biologists, these jellyfish are able to control their genes, as a result of which the cells of their body are converted from one type to another.

The unique ability of jellyfish has become a reason for close attention from genetics trying to establish how sea creation It was possible to reverse the aging process. The mechanism of immortality, as well as the restoration of the authorities, worries scientists for decades.

The Pentagon organized a project dedicated to the creation of the "eternal" organism. On laboratory experiments, the US government annually allocates 6 million dollars. While scientists have achieved only the extension of the life of mice by 20%.

Hydra and jellyfish for the ability to regenerate scientists studied for a long time. Since the XIX century, theories were put forward on the possible theoretical immortality of such organisms. As it turned out, they were not groundless. At the end of the 20th century, Turritopsis Nutricula's jellyfish was recognized as the only known being, which is capable of living forever. Is it really? How did the Turritopsis Nutricula's immortal jelly decide for himself a question of eternal youth?

Characteristic

Medusa of this hydroid sort inhabited in the seas moderate belt And the tropics and belong to the Oceaniidae family from the Anthoathecata squad. Turritopsis Nutricula jellyfish (photos can be seen in this article) - Eukarot animal with blockage cells. These intestinal organisms have two stages of development.

At the beginning life path They develop in the form of polyps, and sexual maturity reaches already jellyfish. Most of the representatives of this class live relatively short lifewhich rarely lasts more than 3-4 months. After reproduction, they tend to die. However, the Immortal Jellywood Turritopsis Nutricula does not fit into this scheme.

Structure

Motherland of the view - Caribbean. The size of the jellyfish is small, in diameter it is 5 mm. The shape of the body is a dome-shaped, resembling an umbrella, on the edge of which tentacles with blockage cells are located. They are capturing food. In a different period of development, the amount of supreets changes. With age, they are becoming more: from 8 in young individuals and up to 90 - in half-plant.

Turritopsis Nutricula jellyfish floats down mouth. It also serves for feeding food, and to remove her residues. The body is 95% consists of water. Nervous system It works primitive. Medusa has no brain, skeleton, hearts. Nevertheless, it reacts to irritation: food, mechanical effect, change in the composition and properties of water.

After breeding the jellyfish does not die. It was noted that it sinks on the bottom, attached to the tentacles to the appropriate surface and gradually turns into a polyp, from which a young person will grow.

Immortal Jellywood Turritopsis Nutricula: Life Cycle

Representatives of this species, like many other hydraulic organisms, are experiencing two stages of development. Estimated in the body of the mother after the fertilization of the eggs of the larvae, falling into the water, fall on the bottom, are fixed there and turn into polyps. Their colonies have a spind-shaped or mace-shaped form.

The body of such an education has a cuticle on the surface performing the role of a skeleton. Already then they have filamental tentacles with blockage cells. The captured food swallows and is distributed between the entire colon. Young jellyfish buds from this formation, cease to be a settling form and go swimming.

Features of such a creature, like immortal jellyfish turritopsis Nutricula

Why did the immortal genus turritopsis acquired such widely fame and began to characterize it? This is due to the inclinations of hydroid organisms to regeneration processes. It was also known that the lost part of the jellyfish body short term It grows again. If it is cut, then a new individual will be repaid from a separate fragment.

This process is called transdifferentiation. In its course, the cell turns from one species to another. Such features are also available in some other, more complex in structure, organisms. So, for example, a lizard can reflect the tip of a torn tail again. Stem cells of animals and humans can be used to grow some of them.

However, Turritopsis Nutricula jellyfish, it turns out, can do it with all his body. It is worth drawing a correction to the fact that all the same body is quite simple, cells have a relatively low differentiation, so it is easier for them to transform, and, in addition, there are two phases of development. Actually, the jellyfish does not live constantly - its stages are replaced.

History opening

This breakthrough in science was not planned. Fernando Boaero is an Italian scientist-naturalist - at the end of the 20th century in the process of research, the water drying in his aquarium was allowed, where there were jellyfish of the genus Turritopsis Nutricula. Deciding to continue the experiments, he again filled it with water. To my amazement, Baero found that jellyfish did not died, and amazing manner turned into polyps. Over time, young individuals grew up and bred.

Further laboratory research confirmed this fact. For adverse conditions Mediums The process of reverse development launched. Sharp temperature differences, changes in water salinity, mechanical damage, no food - all this was valid as a catalyst and provoked jellyfish protective mechanism. They fell on the bottom and reincounded into a young person through the polyp phase.

Thus, scientists did the assumption that the immortal jellyfish turritopsis Nutricula is the only immortal creature, famous science At this stage. The duration of observations is even relatively short, but the experiments managed to establish and testify the ability of this species to rejuvenate tens of times in a row.

Warning

What and who threatens the Immortal Jellywood Turritopsis Nutricula? Why does an immortal view represent a threat to the ecosystem? These organisms from the moment of opening were seriously interested. It is noticed that from the Caribbean jellyfish spread throughout the world Ocean. The theoretical immortality of these organisms gives the soil for reasoning for their excessive reproduction. In this case, there is a possibility of a violation of the equilibrium of the ecosystem.

Is there any danger in fact? Theoretically, it exists. However, it is believed that these jellyfish appeared many million years ago. If during this time they did not change the balance, then is there any sense to beat the alarm? Creatures are relatively small, in young age They eat many ocean inhabitants, so that overpopulation is not threatened with them.

Confirmed by experiments the ability to increase the number cannot be assessed as a threat to the ecosystem. The absolute infinity of the life cycle in these organisms has not yet been proven. Practice of observation of short, and need a longer period of time to approve this theory.