The Sea Creatures That May Never Die

Sea cucumbers are unusual animals that live at the bottom of seas and oceans. Although their name contains the word “cucumber”, they are not plants. They are soft sea animals without a backbone. Some sea cucumbers have an amazing ability: they can grow back parts of their bodies after an injury. A group of scientists was studying a sea cucumber species called Psolus fabricii. This species lives in the cold waters of the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. During their research, the scientists removed some small tube-shaped feet from three sea cucumbers. They placed the pieces of tissue in a tank with fresh, moving seawater. The researchers expected the tissue to die after a short time. However, something surprising happened. The pieces remained alive. More than three years later, they are still showing signs of life. The tissue does not have a mouth, a stomach or other organs. It cannot reproduce or move like a complete animal. However, its cells continue to divide and change. The tissue can also take nutrients from the seawater. Scientists believe it absorbs amino acids, which are important parts of proteins. Some researchers have described the pieces as “little lab zombies” because they are alive but are no longer part of a complete animal. Scientists are careful about calling the tissue immortal. They still need to study its DNA and observe it for a longer period. The discovery may be useful for future scientific research. Living tissue is often used to study illnesses, medicines and the way cells work. If sea cucumber tissue can survive for many years, it may become a useful research tool. The discovery also shows how little people know about life in the oceans. According to marine scientists, sea animals may have many abilities that researchers have not discovered yet.