2y ago

Scientists woke up a 46,000-year-old roundworm from Siberian permafrost

wapo.st

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During this preconditioning, the nematodes begin pumping out a sugar called trehalose, which may be involved in helping protect their DNA, cells and proteins from degrading.
Candied nematode!
- Finally, the perfect gift for someone who has everything.
- Mmmmmm, Mountain Dew Zero Desiccation! Now at select Taco Bell locations.
By sequencing the genome of this Rip Van Winkle roundworm, scientists revealed it to be a new species of nematode
If this nematode could read I bet it would be offended at being called "new."
... insert sci-fi horror plot here...
- X-Files beat you to it: Season 1, Episode 8
  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice(TheX-Files)
  
  Great episode - have an upvote :)
- Yeah, ancient and possibly eldlritch buttworms. :X
- X-Files beat you to it - season 1 episode 20
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darkness_Falls_(The_X-Files)
  
  The horror! Such a great episode though.
  
  That's another great episode.
Imagine being that roundworm, waking up after being asleep for 46,000 years and wondering why everything has changed so much!
Also makes me wonder just how long they could sit there in permafrost and still be able to wake up. Is there an upper limit?
- I think you're projecting a lot of your human cognitive ability on this particular worm
  
  Yes, I'm aware of that. I know that worms are very, very simple creatures that don't really have much of any cognitive ability at all. I think the key word in my post is "imagine".
- “Ah, after fourty-six thousand years I'm free! It's time to conquer Earth!”
  
  rock guitar starts
I think I've seen this movie.
Uhm. Don’t do that.
Just in time for the new season of Futurama!
- Someone go to that worm and welcome him to the world of tomorrow!
Just because there's not enough going wrong in the world already, I guess
Why make yet another species available to the eternal suffering of life?
"Thanks! Now, where'd I leave that rotting chunk of mammoth?"

27 comments