Weird Beasts: Jellyfish Live Forever by Chris Perridas

 ”Breaking News!  Jellyfish of Death are Immortal.  Invasion Imminent!”

 Jellyfish are beautiful, translucent jewels … of death!  Just get stung by one of them!  Now, breaking news!  We at the Weird Beast of Dark Recesses patrol the world to bring to YOU important news of apocalyptic import.

 Now a scientist has not only declared that we are being INVADED by these ALIENS from the DEEP, but that they are IMMORTAL!  Aieee!

 Here it is, straight from the Yahoo! Green™ blog. 

 At least one species of jellyfish has discovered the fountain of youth.  Capable of cycling from an adult back to childhood by a single convolution, it may have no natural limit to its life span.

 The key lies in a process called transdifferentiation!  One type of cell is transformed into another type of cell.  (Think how salamanders grow back arms and tails).

 This critter can regenerate its entire body over and over again. Because they are able to bypass death, the number of individuals is spiking.

 They’re now found in oceans everywhere.

 Dr. Maria Miglietta of the prestigious Smithsonian Tropical Marine Institute says, “We are looking at a worldwide silent invasion.”

 Beauty hath death in its arms.  Be afraid.  Be very afraid!

 Original Link:

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/guest_bloggers/26/the-world-s-only-immortal-animal.html