A female microscopic roundworm that's 46,000 years old has been revived after its long slumber in Siberian permafrost and started having babies. A new report from scientists published in the journal PLOS Genetics details a 46,000-year-old worm being brought back to life by researchers inside a petri dish. According to the team of researchers, the worm was suspended in animation through a process called cryptobiosis, a state in which all metabolic processes are paused. Deep sea biologist Holly Bik said It's reasonable to estimate there are millions of nematode species suspended in the animation in various environments such as ocean trenches, tundras, deserts, and volcanic soils. "However, it very well could be a commonly occurring nematode that no one got around to describing yet," Crow said.

Source: Washington Post July 29, 2023 11:32 UTC