How long exactly is the lifespan of the immortal jellyfish?
The immortal jellyfish (Turritopsis dohrnii) is a type of jellyfish that, after reaching sexual maturity, can revert to its polyp form, and it can repeat this process infinitely, thereby gaining the ability to rejuvenate. It is theoretically immortal and may be the only "everlasting" creature in the world, capable of achieving a life cycle that transitions from a mature adult stage back to an immature life stage. It may have no lifespan limit, because it can evade death.
How long is the lifespan of the immortal jellyfish?
The immortal jellyfish is so far the only immortal animal in nature. Because it can bypass death, the immortal jellyfish has an enormous population, with a life history of continuously cycling between the adult and polyp forms, so its lifespan can be infinite.
Geographic distribution of the immortal jellyfish
The immortal jellyfish was first discovered in the Caribbean Sea. Because its numbers do not decrease during reproduction, its population grew rapidly. Dr. Miglietta of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute said: "The world is silently encroaching on the living environment of the immortal jellyfish in tropical seas. They are discharged into ports with ships' ballast water and spread all over the world."
Why the immortal jellyfish does not die
Scientists infer from research that the secret to the immortal jellyfish's everlasting life lies in the differentiation process of stem cells. Maria Pia Miglietta, a researcher at Pennsylvania State University, said that the immortal jellyfish does not die as usual, but instead "reverses the cells of its body to a younger state." However, this "reverse growth" is conditional; it occurs only when they encounter starvation, physical damage or other sudden crises.
Miglietta explained that at this point the immortal jellyfish transforms itself into a water-drop-like cyst, and then from this cyst it develops again into the jellyfish's original life form -- a polyp colony. According to National Geographic, during this process all the cells of the immortal jellyfish undergo transformation, among which muscle cells transform into neuron cells, or sperm and eggs. Through asexual reproduction, this polyp colony will grow again into hundreds of jellyfish with DNA nearly identical to that of the previous adult immortal jellyfish.
Ma Hongbao, a researcher at Brookdale University Hospital in New York, said: "This ability of the jellyfish to evade death makes it biologically immortal." This makes this jellyfish the only creature that, in theory, will live forever as long as it is not eaten or killed by disease. Through the rebirth process and asexual reproduction, one jellyfish becomes hundreds of identical jellyfish. This also explains why the five great oceans of the world are filled with immortal jellyfish whose gene sequences are almost identical.