No one likes the thought of growing old. Despite many human endeavors to escape or delay the process of ageing, it seems to be an inevitable part of life. But… why? Why do living things gradually fall apart when they grow older? There is a word for it: senescence.
No, it’s not the rock band who sang ‘Bring Me to Life’; senescence is the state of gradual deterioration of normal functioning.
At the cellular level, it means cells stop dividing and they eventually die. However, a few species can escape the ageing process completely.
Today we countdown 15 animals that can live forever. It’s time to put some anti-aging cream on and watch carefully if you want to live forever.
Adwaita the Aldabra Turtle
The Turtle low and steady really does win the race. Turtles and Tortoises are remarkable creatures whose lifespans are immense.
Research has shown that the organs of a century-old turtle are indistinguishable from those of a turtle that has just reached sexual maturity.
Turtles and tortoises only die as the result of predators, diseases and natural disasters. They never stop breeding and cannot die of old age.
Turtles have been known to live for centuries, and researchers have found that their organs don’t seem to break down over time.
Turtles might even be able to live indefinitely if they’re able to avoid predators and disease. In other words, they have a potential to be immortal animals.
An Aldabra giant tortoise named Adwaita was thought to be 255 years old when he died in 2006, and carbon dating of his shell confirmed that he really had been born around 1750.
And it wasn’t old age that did him in – he died of liver failure complicated by a wound brought on by a crack in his shell.
Regenerating Flatworms
