I start thinking that one day human beings can actually live forever. http://green.yahoo.com/blog/guest_bloggers/26/the-world-s-only-immortal-animal.html The world's only immortal animal By Bryan Nelson, Mother Nature Network Posted Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:57am PDT Related topics: Animals, Nature More from Guest Bloggers blog 179 votes Buzz up! Turritopsis nutricula Jellyfish (Photo: Peter Schuchert) The turritopsis nutricula species of jellyfish may be the only animal in the world to have truly discovered the fountain of youth. Since it is capable of cycling from a mature adult stage to an immature polyp stage and back again, there may be no natural limit to its life span. Scientists say the hydrozoan jellyfish is the only known animal that can repeatedly turn back the hands of time and revert to its polyp state (its first stage of life). The key lies in a process called transdifferentiation, where one type of cell is transformed into another type of cell. Some animals can undergo limited transdifferentiation and regenerate organs, such as salamanders, which can regrow limbs. Turritopsi nutricula, on the other hand, can regenerate its entire body over and over again. Researchers are studying the jellyfish to discover how it is able to reverse its aging process. Because they are able to bypass death, the number of individuals is spiking. They're now found in oceans around the globe rather than just in their native Caribbean waters. "We are looking at a worldwide silent invasion," says Dr. Maria Miglietta of the Smithsonian Tropical Marine Institute. Bryan Nelson is a regular contributor to Mother Nature Network, where a version of this post originally appeared.
Lots of trees are 'immortal'. They can isolate sick parts of themselves and let that part die. Amazing organisms, really. I wouldn't mind living on as a terminator, ala Terminator: Salvation. That would be sweet.
life would eventually lose it's luster.. if not it's significance.. why would that statement move it to the D&D..? fear it'd rouse religious debate...?
careful.. an eternal life's worth of casual sex.. you might have to pace yourself.. or risk a fate of severely waned interest...similar to Hugh Hefner.. where only "gay p*rn" will suffice.. you wouldn't want that now, would you...?
Since immortals wouldnt die off naturally, there wouldnt be any room or space on the planet for future humans after centuries of reproducing more immortals. You'd either have to stop reproducing, inhabit another planet, or have intentional termination of life anyway.
I dunno.. living through the next few world wars doesn't sound too hot. I would hate going through the technological climax mankind would eventually reach then suddenly go back to sticks and stones because of some silly war. ...albeit I'd be the smartest man alive once we're back to the sticks and stones.
Unless every 100 years your memory got erased and you have to start over learning stuff again. Otherwise, it would start to get very boring after about 500 years
