From the 46,000-year-old Siberian permafrost, researchers have collected and revived prehistoric roundworms, according to a study published last Thursday in the journal PLOS Genetics, which I read mainly for their sports coverage. The parasitic microorganisms, called nematodes, stayed alive by entering a state called cryptobiosis - they reduced their metabolism to extremely low levels to withstand extreme conditions, like Juliet waiting for Romeo. Essentially, the worms were frozen in time, but remained alive just enough to exist. This is big news because previously the oldest roundworms known to survive in cryptobiosis only did so for only 39 years. I happen to have direct, personal experience with cryptobiosis. Here’s how.
© 2024 John Oliver
Substack is the home for great culture