The immortal jellyfish can beat ageing. It could inspire treatments for diseases of old ag

A closer look at The immortal jellyfish can beat ageing. It could inspire treatments for diseases of old ag

What this BBC Future piece is about

This article describes the tiny jellyfish Turritopsis dohrnii and its ability to revert from an adult medusa back into an earlier polyp stage, effectively restarting parts of its lifecycle. It reports on laboratory observations, historical reports of the phenomenon, and ongoing scientific efforts to characterise the genetic and molecular processes behind that rejuvenation.

What you can read and learn on the page

You can read first‑hand descriptions from researchers (for example Maria Miglietta and Stefano Piraino) about how the jellyfish transform into a ball of cells and then bud polyps. The article summarises studies comparing Turritopsis dohrnii with related species, notes discoveries such as extra copies of genes involved in DNA repair and telomere maintenance, and discusses hypotheses like transdifferentiation where adult cells revert to a stem‑like state. It also outlines researchers' hopes to find molecular switches that might inform regenerative medicine.

Who will find this useful

Readers interested in regenerative biology, ageing research, jellyfish life cycles or the genetics of longevity will get concise coverage of the species and current research directions. Scientists wanting a summary of key questions and cited researcher perspectives will find the article a readable overview; casual readers curious about unusual animal biology will get clear examples and the limits of current knowledge.

Questions people ask about The immortal jellyfish can beat ageing. It could inspire treatments for diseases of old ag

Does the page claim humans can become immortal?

No - the article explicitly says the goal is not to turn people into embryos again and that applying these processes to humans is speculative and far from realised.

What mechanisms does the article highlight as important?

It highlights transdifferentiation (adult cells reverting to stem‑like states), genes linked to DNA repair, and genes involved in telomere maintenance as possible pieces of the jellyfish's strategy.

Is this species unique?

The article states that Turritopsis dohrnii is, as far as scientists know, unique among animals in its capacity to revert adult bodies into earlier life stages.

The immortal jellyfish can beat ageing. It could inspire treatments for diseases of old ag was shared on NexURLs by Nexis on October 21, 2026, in News.