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Emily Moore
Ancient Worms Revived After 46,000 Years Frozen in Siberian Permafrost
7.8.2023
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Xray of worm : The New York Times Is it possible to stop and restart life?: New scientific revelations seem to suggest so. In the past, cryogenic freezing has been a concept reserved for science fiction writers, doomsday preppers and ambitious billionaires. But with recent scientific discoveries, it seems like an ever-more imminent possibility. In 2018, new studies were released after researcher Anastasia Shatilovich thawed two female worms from a fossilised burrow dug by gophers in the Arctic. The worms, after millennia buried deep in the permafrost, were revived simply after contact with water.
- Hugo Bendeich
THIS WEEK: ANCIENT WORMS, PAKISTAN RALLY AND MORE! Want to share your ideas? Contact us! stag@reddamhouse.com.au hugo.bendeich@reddamhouse.com.au kayson.hu@reddamhouse.com.au
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While the species live no longer than a few days, they were able to successfully reproduce in lab conditions, a testament to their health and stability. Using radiocarbon dating, researchers determined the specimens were first frozen roughly 46,000 years ago. To survive the Ice Age at the time, the worms entered a dormant state called cryptobiosis, a process researchers at the institute are still trying to understand. With time, there is promise that someday we could recreate this process, and preserve humans for centuries to come. Would you expect cryogenic freezing to develop in our lifetime? It might be more realistic than we think.
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