Scientists Revive 24,000-Year-Old 'Zombie Worm' from Siberian Permafrost

Biology Breakthrough: Reviving Life from the Late Pleistocene

In a stunning scientific feat, researchers have revived a 24,000-year-old microscopic organism, known as a bdelloid rotifer, from the Siberian permafrost. Often dubbed the 'zombie worm,' the creature has not only survived but resumed reproduction after thousands of years.

Scientific Details

• Cryptobiosis: The organism survived in a state called cryptobiosis, where metabolism is nearly zero and life processes stop almost entirely.

• Environment: Discovered near the Alazeya River in Siberia, it was frozen in Yedoma permafrost at −20°C.

• Reproduction: After being thawed, the rotifer resumed asexual reproduction, producing clones of itself.

For Science and Biology aspirants, this study provides critical insights into the biological limits of survival and the possibilities of long-term cryopreservation.