24,000-year-old organisms found frozen in Siberia can still reproduce

Russian scientists find bdelloid rotifers deep in remote permafrostA microscopic worm-like creature, labelled an “evolutionary scandal” by biologists for having thrived for millions of years without having sex, has now been shown to persist for at least 24,000 years in Siberian permafrost and then reproduce, researchers have found.Multicellular invertebrates that are solely female, bdelloid rotifers are already renowned for theirresistance to radiation and ability to withstand rather inhospitable environments: drying, starvation and low oxygen. They ’ve also existed for at least 35m years – and can be found today in freshwater lakes, ponds, streams and moist terrestrial habitats such as moss, lichen, tree bark and soil.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Zoology Biology Science World news Source Type: news