Biological immortality. A phrase I stumbled across whilst talking to my brother after watching Mr Nobody – a utopian film set in a society where humans are immortal.
“You know there’s a jellyfish that can do that – cheat death.”
After several minutes of laughing at this dramatic claim and accusing him of lying, a quick google search proved that it was, in essence, true.
The Turritopsis dohrnii, or the ‘immortal’ jellyfish as it is colloquially known, can revert to an earlier stage in its lifecycle, the polyp when facing environmental stress (such as starvation or injury) [1]. Scientists found that when the jellyfish in its adult medusa stage was pinched with tweezers, it would undergo a process known as transdifferentiation in which it would revert into a ball of tissue and then form a polyp [2]. Picture a frog turning back into a tadpole upon being injured. Whilst it is not technically immortal, as the destruction of its nerve centre destroys the process (which could occur by predation), it can be endlessly repeated allowing the jellyfish, if uninterrupted, to continue this cycle eternally [3].
If you are anything like me and have watched and read far too many dystopian stories, this produces a nightmarish image of swarms of jellyfish slowly overrunning the world in a sort of underwater The Birds style fiasco. Or a future where humans have genetically merged with fish, with life turning into one long Spongebob Squarepants episode. Either way, the image is not pleasant.
However, there is one scientist, Dr Shin Kubota, a professor at Kyoto University, who is more optimistic about this discovery.
“The immortal medusa is the most miraculous species in the entire animal kingdom” [4].
Dr Shin Kubota has devoted much of his research to the Turritopsis dohrnii. Holding the only known captive population, he spends every morning on the shores of Shirahama, Japan, catching plankton to feed to them. This is followed by at least three hours of meticulously caring for them; feeding them, changing their water, checking their health and observing their reactions [5]. Dr Kubota believes they can help us understand more about the secrets of human life and perhaps even unlock the key to immortality.
In every interview I have watched of Dr Kubota, his unbridled enthusiasm exudes off the screen. His infectious smile and impassioned speeches are enough to infuse anyone with a similar jellyfish obsession.
Perhaps, most refreshing of all, are his numerous self-composed songs about the jellyfish and nature as a whole. I would highly recommend searching Dr Shin Kubota on YouTube to witness these songs first-hand; I promise you will not be disappointed! My personal favourite is ‘The Immortal Jellyfish Festival song’ which includes the line:
“I can live my life over again. But since people only live once, please live without any regrets.”
Frequently donning his homemade jellyfish T-shirt and hat, I have found these wholesome and heartfelt videos an uplifting inspiration. Amid an increasingly chaotic, fearful and resentful world, it is comforting to know that on the beaches of Shirahama, one man remains steadfast in his enthusiasm for knowledge and the natural world, encouraging others to embrace this positivity towards life.
References:
[1] https://www.science.org.au/curious/earth-environment/animals-can-live-forever
[2] https://www.rsb.org.uk/biologist-features/everlasting-life-the-immortal-jellyfish
[3] https://animals.mom.com/can-turritopsis-nutricula-live-forever-3728.html
[4] https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/02/magazine/can-a-jellyfish-unlock-the-secret-of-immortality.html
[5] https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/02/magazine/can-a-jellyfish-unlock-the-secret-of-immortality.html