Archive · 19 Sep 2025
Animals That Challenge Aging and Approach Immortality
Some animals can live a very long time, and some can even live forever!
The immortal jellyfish can reset its body and start over.
Other creatures like hydras and flatworms can regrow parts of their bodies, and lobsters just keep growing.
Bdelloid rotifers can survive for thousands of years frozen in ice.
Scientists are studying these animals to learn their secrets to help people live longer and healthier lives.
The immortal jellyfish can revert to an earlier life stage, potentially living forever.
Hydras have continuous regeneration and do not appear to age.
Bdelloid rotifers can survive extreme environments and pause aging for millennia when frozen.
Planarian flatworms can regenerate from a single cell, possibly maintaining telomeres and avoiding aging.
Lobsters keep growing and remain fertile, potentially living over 100 years.
- Who
- Animals like immortal jellyfish, hydra, bdelloid rotifers, planarian flatworms, lobsters, and Greenland sharks
- What
- Challenge our understanding of aging and lifespan
- When
- The article does not state a specific time period.
- Where
- Mediterranean Sea (immortal jellyfish), freshwater (hydra), Siberian permafrost (bdelloid rotifers), unknown (planarian flatworms), waters unknown (lobsters), North Atlantic (Greenland Sharks)
- Why
- To explore the limits of life and death, and to learn how humans might benefit from their secrets
- Immortal Jellyfish
- Can revert to polyp stage when stressed or aged; theoretically immortal
- Hydra
- Tiny freshwater creatures with continuous regeneration and no signs of aging
- Bdelloid Rotifers
- Can survive extreme conditions, pausing aging for millennia when frozen
- Planarian Flatworms
- Regenerate from even a single cell; may maintain telomeres, avoiding aging
- Lobsters
- Keep growing and remain fertile; may live over 100 years
- Greenland Sharks
- Can live up to 400-500 years