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Red Sea Urchins Nearly Immortal

Posted by michael on from the pension-plan-underfunded dept.

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."

10 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. This explains a lot by Fux+the+Penguin · · Score: 4, Funny

    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.

  2. We have found the secret to immortality! by fain0v · · Score: 3, Funny

    Now I just have to find someone that can graft a human head to a sea urchin.

  3. Someone really should ... by the+real+darkskye · · Score: 5, Funny

    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

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  4. What by 4of12 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The key to their longevity appears to be always growing, but ever so slowly.

    I could see where age guessing of a slowly-changing organism would be difficult and that they would corroborate their results with nuclear information because biochemical indicators are so flat.

    This is also consistent with Duncan MacLeod and the other Immortals being under 40.

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    1. Re:What by buttahead · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The key to their longevity appears to be always growing, but ever so slowly.

      acutally, consistant isn't indicated as the reason for long life... evolution can explain the age of these guys.

      Anything that happens after a creature stops reproducing does not contribute to evolution. So, typicaly you see creatures die soon after they stop reproducing, as there is no more need for them to exist. This has been indicated in women recently in small studies, but also makes some sence if you think about it.

      The fact that the urchins just keep on putting out sperm and eggs means that longevity can help them spread their genes more than any short lived urchin. and viola... if there is any age after which the urchins do go through a menopause... death for them will probably be within a few years after.

  5. Sea urchin immortals?!?! by Picass0 · · Score: 4, Funny


    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!

  6. What if? by torpor · · Score: 3, Funny

    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...

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  7. Urchins are well protected by barakn · · Score: 4, Interesting
    and so if there's no biochemical reason for them to die then they could live to a ripe old age.

    A friend of mine was swimming off a beach in Bali and stepped on a long-spined urchin (unknown species) with both feet, which caused immediate and excruciating pain. After his brother helped him on shore, the Balinese natives broke the spines off right where they protruded from the bottoms of his feet. Then they poured lemon juice on the puncture sights and started pounding the soles of his feet with rocks, for hours. The pain was so excruciating he became delirious and started laughing.

    The treatment broke up and dissolved the spines below the skin, and that probably saved his life. Apparently there's some sort of toxin, as he was extremely sick for the next 2 weeks. Had the spines remained embedded in his feet, there would have been enough toxin to kill him, a doctor told him later.

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  8. Re:Nearly immortal? by Elwood+P+Dowd · · Score: 3, Funny

    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.

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  9. Hazy logic? by brianjcain · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This just in -- housefly researchers determine that human beings are near immortal, with natural lifespans in excess of two months.