Dear MEL Topic Readers,
This animal survived 24,000 years frozen in the Siberian permafrost
The rotifers, or wheel animals, are kind of microscopic animals that live in freshwater environments. They are only around 0.1-0.5 millimeters long, eat dead bacteria and algae, and fall prey to many animals like fish, jellyfish, and starfish.
Recently, researchers discovered and revived some rotifers in a core of frozen soil in the Siberian permafrost. What is astonishing about these rotifers is that they had been kept in the ice for 24,000 years until they were awakened. Since the permafrost is frozen year-round, the creatures had been under cryptobiosis, the state of completely arrested metabolism. Even though cryptobiosis has been found among single-celled organisms, this case was remarkable because rotifers are a micro-size animal that has a mouth, body, anus, and foot.
If they survived 24,000 years, will we ever have a chance to revive a dinosaur or some kind of ancient animal in the future?
Enjoy reading the article and learn about this amazing discovery.
This animal survived 24,000 years frozen in the Siberian permafrost
The rotifers, or wheel animals, are kind of microscopic animals that live in freshwater environments. They are only around 0.1-0.5 millimeters long, eat dead bacteria and algae, and fall prey to many animals like fish, jellyfish, and starfish.
Recently, researchers discovered and revived some rotifers in a core of frozen soil in the Siberian permafrost. What is astonishing about these rotifers is that they had been kept in the ice for 24,000 years until they were awakened. Since the permafrost is frozen year-round, the creatures had been under cryptobiosis, the state of completely arrested metabolism. Even though cryptobiosis has been found among single-celled organisms, this case was remarkable because rotifers are a micro-size animal that has a mouth, body, anus, and foot.
If they survived 24,000 years, will we ever have a chance to revive a dinosaur or some kind of ancient animal in the future?
Enjoy reading the article and learn about this amazing discovery.
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