"Effectively immortal" creature

Just imagine a being that`s been arround for more than 1400 years !

Amazing right ?

"Hydra magnipapillata" is the name. A freshwater polyp that has such a low risk of dying at any time in its life that it is effectively immortal.


Read more at www.redorbit.com...


Now we humans just have to figure out what`s this creature secret

I'm already immortal...or was that immoral....I may be a little mixed up.

reply to post by rickymouse


If you are immoral, you might become immortal, like the Marquis de Sade. Lots of people remember him!!!

OP, I remember a few weeks ago reading about some kind of jellyfish that, as it grows old, starts to "frow" younger, passed a certain time. I can't find the link tho.

So many species seem to live young or at least appear immortal. I'm sure we could trigger a few genes that would allow us to be with these qualities.

Yesterday, I was talking with my kids and we kind of "agreed" that they might have the possibilities to live over 150 years of age with modern medicine. How cool is that?

And then there is this:

Another oldy


I am quite curious about all these different creatures that can live so long. Just look at the crocodile, and even lobster!

It really makes me wonder if there isn't some lab, somewhere that is actually trying to find out the hows and why's of longevity.
Although if it is ever discovered, I'm sure the price tag for it would put it out of reach, for the average citizen.

reply to post by CosmicDude


I don't think I'd want to be immortal if I was sessile and couldn't be described as concious.
I'm one of the few people that wouldn't want to life forever.
It's only because of death that life holds any meaning to it at all.
The same way you can't have light without dark, you can't have life without death.
If one were immortal I'm not sure you could call whatever it was you were doing a life anymore...it would be more like existance.
You'd never age.
You'd never change.
How long before you just stop befriending the non-immortals?
How many countless centuries could you just go on watching everyone you ever cared about just wither and die, generation after generation.
You wouldn't need food if you were truely immortal and eating is one of the the things I love most about life.
How long before the sex, liquor and drugs would lose their appeal?
How long before you never wanted to see another television ever again?
How long before you just stopped caring about anyone or anything?
Sure it might seem like a good idea in the beginning and might even be fun for a few centuries but eventually it would begin to turn.
You'd have seen everything.
Nothing would suprise you.
The mystique and wonder or true mortality would be dead before you'd reached a millenia of age.
At 5000?
Life would become a chore once more. Not because it's difficult...but because you'd stand out so much with a few thousand years of life experience against the mortals.
If anyone ever discovered you were immortal...well, that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish.
Look what we humans do to anything we encounter that's new or different...we can't wait to cut it open and see what makes it tick. What? You don't think you'd be strapped down to some surgical table at Area 51 faster than you can say "Roswell"?
What if they started to think YOU were god?
THAT would be even worse!
You would crave a NORMAL conversation after only a SINGLE lifetime.
No one would think they were worthy.
No one would look you in the eye.
You'd have no equal and no peers...and THAT would drive you insane.
Eternity is a LONG time to be insane.
Sure maybe you could accomplish a great many things with an unusually long life but eventually, everything would become routine. Nothing would be new anymore. There'd be no spark or mystery to things. You'd lose touch with what it means to really live.
I wager that after ten millenia, you'd be devoting every dollar you had into trying to figure out how to end your life.
Even worse, the mortals finally go and blow up the planet but not you...YOU'RE still here...alone.
Immortality doesn't sound like a gift to me.
It sounds like a curse.

-Peace-

reply to post by CosmicDude


Really ? would you really want to live in this world 1400 years ??

Very interesting story about this creature.

Oh, I don`t want to live forever either, just a few years extra and in good health

I give you, The Immortal Tardigrade, the most unkillable animal on earth.

It is able to survive almost anything, and can live for thousands of years.

Pretty badass really.

At around 3 minutes it shows the part about them sending it into space, open to the vacuum, and living.

Radiation cant even hurt them, they can repair their own DNA.

reply to post by oblvion


Dude.
I have seen that thing in virtually every nasty anime film ever made...

("Tardigrade"...it even sounds like a Pokemon!)

-Peace-

Eryiedes
reply to post by oblvion

 

Dude.
I have seen that thing in virtually every nasty anime film ever made...

("Tardigrade"...it even sounds like a Pokemon!)

-Peace-

edit on 11-12-2013 by Eryiedes because: Sarcasm

Ya really cute, in an eat your face kind of way isnt it?

Tardigrade!!!!! I choose you!!!

Tardigrade, use cryptobiotic stasis !!!!!

LOL, that would be a funny episode.

reply to post by NowanKenubi


I studied the hell out of the subject of what can extend our lives. Seems like many have. The problem is by doing things that extend our lives long term, we open up a situation that promotes cancer or tumor growth. Eating a diverse diet that does not contain continuous consumption of histamines is necessary. Histamines create energy. Trying to be active too long wears out the body. The diet for longlivity is dependant on age related changes, the last change being around in your fifties for many people. I still have years of research on this to go.

The pills they are thinking about may extend your life at the expense of other psychological and physiological problems. I have quite a few theories about the fruit of the tree of life that I am researching. Looking for the hormones that rejuvinate our bodies or chemicals that stimulate the hormones to be created is easy but the side effects of the usage of these on a regular basis is not good. An occasional dose helps, long term use is no good.

I suspect the pills they will create will be expensive and have side effects because they will undoubtedly contain the knowledge I have on the subject utilized into their drug creation..

reply to post by oblvion



I like those things.. the space bear/water bear. I also like the idea their origins are non terrestrial due to their abilities.

Im waiting for the super size space bear. I can see myself buying one, painting its nails, putting cute clothes on it.. carrying it in a little purse...

Advantage
reply to post by oblvion

 

I like those things.. the space bear/water bear. I also like the idea their origins are non terrestrial due to their abilities.

Im waiting for the super size space bear. I can see myself buying one, painting its nails, putting cute clothes on it.. carrying it in a little purse...

LOL..It is the new age chihuahua.

Head popping out of your Coach purse, eating the flora as you stroll by, not having to worry about "did I leave the dog enough food and water before I left on that business trip...calls the neighbor" for your beloved pet.

Kind of funny to visualize actually now that I think about it.

reply to post by oblvion


They are actually using the Tardigrade to develop a method of dry-freezing blood plasma so it will not spoil for several years, today it only has a few days before it must be thrown away.