The cost of immortality: a jellyfish keeps the secret of eternal life

Spanish scientists analyze a jellyfish, barely four millimeters long, which has proven that it has the capacity to regenerate itself.

The quest for immortality has been around since the 3rd century BC, when the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang ingested an ‘elixir of youth’ made with mercury. But he didn’t do so well and he died.

Since then, dozens of philosophers and scientists have tried to achieve immortality, without success so far.

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What has been possible is to extend the life expectancy of human beings, through drugs and medical treatments. Therefore, the The longevity industry is valued at $610 billion.

And in this quest to live longer, scientists from the Oviedo University (Spain) have found a Medusa with the ability to be immortal.

The species jellyfish Turritopsis dhornii it is smaller than a fingernail, lives at the bottom of the Italian Mediterranean, and inside it has genes with the secret to live more than 100 years.

How is the immortal jellyfish

In a report published in the scientific journal The National Academy of Sciencesthe Spanish researchers explain that the immortal jellyfish has duplicate genes that allow it to repair and self-regenerate.

“Unlike other microorganisms, the jellyfish Turritopsis dhornii is the only species able to regenerate repeatedly after sexual reproduction, making it biologically immortal,” the authors wrote in the research.

And they add that inside the jellyfish they have identified genes associated with replication, DNA repair, intercellular communication, and telomere regeneration.

Telomeres are similar to the protective shields of human DNA, they are located at the end or ends of chromosomes. They are vital to prevent aging.

The Spanish scientists observed that when the jellyfish is going through critical moments, for example starvation, reabsorbs or feeds on its own tentacles.

And the jellyfish’s telomeres, located at the end of the tentacles, act like little DNA hats, protecting chromosomes and reproduction.

Drugs from jellyfish

At the moment, the Oviedo researchers are not looking for a drug to live 200 years using the genes of the jellyfish.

Rather, they discuss how to use the species’ genes and DNA to develop treatments that can improve or delay diseases such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.

“Based on this knowledge, we hope to find better answers for many syndromes associated with aging and that still overwhelm us,” said Carlos López-Otín, one of the Spanish scientists.

Other investigations

Immortality is also a longing for the super rich and powerful Millionaires like the founders of Google, Sergey Brin and Larry Page have invested in Calico, a startup investigating how to live forever.

While Jeff Bezos invested USD 3,000 million in the startup High Labs. This company recruited GlaxoSmithKline pharmaceutical scientist Hal Barron to develop treatments and chemicals associated with longevity.

And in August, the British biologist Andrew Steele published a book on how it will be possible to live more than 100 years.

The text describes the use of senolyticsa type of drug that is already being investigated for delay cell aging.

Senolytics or compound drugs kill senescent cells or dysfunctional, which every human being develops as they age. The action of the drug is to allow these senescent cells to self-destruct, without harming healthy cells.

According to Steele, senolytic drug development is the new frontier in the longevity industry, and could be the antidote to live more than 200 years.

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The cost of immortality: a jellyfish keeps the secret of eternal life