//Turritopsis Jellyfish\ Humans have been seeking the art of immortality for centuries, but for some reason, we have always gained nothing on this matter. The cycle of life and death for various organisms on Earth should be the same—but it seems there is one creature that has defeated this cycle. The Turritopsis jellyfish is such an animal that seems capable of immortality: it possesses a mechanism that allows it to transform from adulthood back to the polyp stage (juvenile), thus escaping death—at least in theory.\Juvenile stage of the Turritopsis jellyfish\ Most jellyfish have lifespans ranging from a few hours to several months, but the Turritopsis jellyfish seems to be able to manipulate its own tissues (at the mature stage) and circulatory system. This process is called 'transdifferentiation,' which allows stem cells to turn into other types of cells and also allows already differentiated cells to revert to stem cells. The Turritopsis jellyfish is currently the only known animal capable of undergoing this process, thereby 'rejuvenating.'\Through the process of transdifferentiation, the Turritopsis jellyfish can achieve perpetual life\ This phenomenon of transdifferentiation has not been observed outside laboratory conditions. Even so, this transformation only occurs under unfavorable conditions. Scientists believe that this 'reverse aging' process occurs so quickly that it is difficult to observe in natural conditions. Unfortunately, this characteristic of the Turritopsis jellyfish has given it a rather negative reputation: since it can live indefinitely as long as it is not eaten or diseased, biologists worry that the immortal jellyfish could spread rapidly worldwide and eventually 'dominate' the oceans. And at that point, would humans also have to bow to this new biological 'ruler'?
