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Red Sea Urchins Nearly Immortal
varjag writes "A study by scientists from Oregon State University and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have revealed that Red Sea urchins are practically immortal. While they can die from diseases or predator attacks, it seems that their life span has no biological limit. Specimen as old as 100 and 200 years have been discovered, while previously they were expected to last no longer than 7-15 years."
The other day I was walking by the ocean, and noticed two red sea urchins sword fighting by the shore. One beat down the other, then said "In the end, there can be only one" and chopped off the loser's head. Then there was this lightning or something, and the street lights blew out.
So they have recorded lifespans of 100-200 years old? Isn't this just like humans?
But somewhat remarkably, it appears to never really stop growing. It's just very, very slow.
Isn't this ALSO just like humans? We typically 'increase diameter' as we enter middle age too, albeit from too much beer and chips. I'm not sure I give this study a lot of credibility using the word 'immortal'.
--trb
Now I just have to find someone that can graft a human head to a sea urchin.
Combine scorpian, red sea urchin and transistor growing e-coli DNA and produce a walking, stinging, immortal indestructable computer ... which will be obsolite by the time it hatches
Music is everybody's possession.
It's only publishers who think that people own it.
Fuck Beta
~John Lenno
Oh great, now they are going to have poorly rehearsed swordfights and go on rants about "the prize".
In the end, there can be only one sea urchin!
We're only seeing the 'larval' stage of these organisms, which happens to be a few hundred years old ... and the next stage is a monstrous life-stealing alien invader of Earth, eating brains and demolishing cities?
That would be cool. Hope its not for a few hundred years though, that would suck...
; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
No. Cell degeneration is part of the design; it results in old generations vanishing and getting replaced by new ones, ensuring that evolution makes progress. This even helps human society evolve :)
That reminds me. I'm so glad all my grandparents are finally dead.
There are no trails. There are no trees out here.
Two words: Dick Clark.
Today's Sesame Street was brought to you by the number e.
So, let me get this straight, in Japan, an urchin's pussy is considered a delicacy?
Your point being? I believe some Americans enjoy eating bulls' testicles, and they don't even have the excuse of belonging to an inscrutable oriental culture.
As soon as the nuts who take shark cartilege and all manner of other stuff in hopes of living past 120 hear about this, they'll wipe out the sea urchins...
Two words: Dick Clark.
He said human!
You can't take the sky from me...
We're the urchins of the aquaverse!