The study found that rotifers survived more than 20,000 years after being frozen in permafrost

Source: World Wide Web

According to foreign media reported on June 9, a new study detailed a "extraordinary journey" of the leech rotifer, a tiny freshwater organism that has recently been found to have survived for thousands of years in the permafrost of Siberia.

Stas Maravin of russia's Institute of Soil Science, Physics, Chemistry and Biological Problems told a cell press conference that the Malavin paper proves that multicellular animals can withstand tens of thousands of years of freezing. To write the paper, the researchers specifically isolated microscopic organisms from the ancient permafrost of Siberia. It is understood that hirud rotifers are multicellular animals, so small that you need a microscope to see them. Despite their small size, they are known for their toughness and ability to survive in dry, frozen, hungry and low-oxygen environments.

Because most of the rotifers come from a depth of about 11 feet (3.5 meters), in order to collect samples, the research team specifically traveled to cheap areas and used drilling techniques to extract them. The researchers used radiocarbon dating, a method of dating organic matter, to determine the age of the animals. In addition, they also found that once the rotifer thawed, it could reproduce by cloning itself.

Researchers repeatedly freeze and thaw rotifers in the laboratory. The findings suggest that they have mechanisms to protect their cells and organs from harm at ultra-low temperatures. "The more complex the organism, the trickier it becomes to cryopreserve, which is currently impossible for mammals. However, going from a single-celled organism to an organism with an intestine and brain that can withstand freezing and survive is a big step forward, albeit microscopic. The researchers said. We want to learn more about the biological mechanisms that make rotifers live. The hope that the revelations from these tiny animals will provide clues on how to better cryopreserve the cells, tissues and organs of other animals, including humans. ”