Worm revived after 46,000 years is back in the news

In a discovery that seems straight out of science fiction, scientists have revived a microscopic worm that had been frozen in Siberian permafrost for an astonishing 46,000 years. The nematode was found in a sample extracted from 37 metres underground, where the extreme cold had perfectly preserved it since the Ice Age.

In 2018, ecologist Anastasia Shatilovich and her team from the Russian Academy of Sciences excavated permafrost near Siberia’s Kolyma River. Two of these samples contained individual nematodes, which were successfully revived in the lab.

The remarkable finding was detailed in a study published on July 27,2023, in the journal PLOS Genetics. Researchers were astounded when the thawed worm began to move — proof that it had survived tens of thousands of years in a state of suspended animation.

The news is now circulating widely on social media.

Known as cryptobiosis, this survival mechanism enables certain organisms to nearly shut down all metabolic functions in response to extreme conditions, such as freezing, dehydration, or a lack of oxygen.

Previously, the most extended documented survival in cryptobiosis was approximately 25 years, observed in a nematode preserved in Antarctic moss.

Nematodes are among the most widespread life forms on Earth, and this discovery adds to their reputation for resilience. Even more astonishing, the revived worm not only resumed movement but also successfully reproduced asexually through parthenogenesis, as it didn't need a mate to produce offspring.

Siberia’s permafrost acts as a natural deep freeze, preserving organic material for thousands of years. It has offered up many biological time capsules —from ancient plant seeds to well-preserved mammoths. This latest find, however, stands out as a powerful testament to life’s ability to endure through the harshest conditions imaginable.

The implications of this discovery go far beyond curiosity. Understanding how some organisms achieve such extreme biological stasis could one day inform fields like medicine, space travel, and cryopreservation. While it might sound like something from a futuristic film, this revived nematode is a real-life example of nature’s astonishing adaptability — and a reminder of how much we still have to learn from the past locked beneath our feet.