Here at The Breaking Time, we usually concentrate on cultural/political/socio-economic breakdown, both for better and worse. There are many reasons for this. This is partly due to my own background and interests. It's partly due to the fact that more knowledgeable people delve into science and technology better. And lastly, it's because not nearly enough attention is paid to the many dooms that involve nothing more than what you see in the mirror.
But I'm breaking (heh) my own rule today, because the above article is just freakin' disturbing OR the dawn of a shiny new era:
Turritopsis Nutricula is able to revert back to a juvenile form once it mates after becoming sexually mature.
Marine biologists say the jellyfish numbers are rocketing because they need not die.
Dr Maria Miglietta of the Smithsonian Tropical Marine Institute said: "We are looking at a worldwide silent invasion."
The jellyfish are originally from the Caribbean but have spready all over the world.
Turritopsis Nutricula is technically known as a hydrozoan and is the only known animal that is capable of reverting completely to its younger self.
It does this through the cell development process of transdifferentiation.
Scientists believe the cycle can repeat indefinitely, rendering it potentially immortal.
While most members of the jellyfish family usually die after propagating, the Turritopsis nutricula has developed the unique ability to return to a polyp state.
Having stumbled upon the font of eternal youth, this tiny creature which is just 5mm long is the focus of many intricate studies by marine biologists and geneticists to see exactly how it manages to literally reverse its aging process.
Yes, that's right. It does not die. Conceivably this either means that our scientists (cue fanfare) figure out a way to replicate this process, in which case we're all going to become perpetually regenerating immortals or this is a sign of some super-species that's going to (naturally) destroy us all.
Somehow it's utterly fitting that it's a tiny, tiny creature with tentacles that manages this feat.
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