I -Was- Frozen For 46,000 Years…
Found in Russia, a frozen worm buried 40 yards underground in ice. It’s back, and it’s ready for some action!
How Long Was I Asleep For?
Scientists have found a tiny worm that was frozen in Siberia for 46,000 years. This discovery shows that life can survive in very difficult conditions. Survive means to continue to live despite serious threat to one's life. The worm was about 40 yards (37 meters) underground in ice for a very long time but started moving again when it warmed up. Scientists want to understand how this was possible.
Pablo knew that he could not survive in the woods without wifi.
My Ice Palace
Siberia is a very cold place. The ground there stays frozen for many years. The ice keeps animals and plants from rotting, so scientists can study them later. The word rot means to decay. This frozen ground is like a time capsule, keeping things safe for thousands of years.
The zombies were already rotting. Once they got stuck in the canal, they rotted even faster.
Sleep Is Healthy
The worm survived by going into hibernation. Hibernation means to sleep in order to save energy. Bears, snakes, and certain other animals hibernate. Scientists say it entered hibernation during the last Ice Age. In this state, the body stops working, and the worm does not eat, breath, grow or move. Some other tiny animals, such as some shrimp, can also do this. They wake up when the environment is better.
Shhhh! The bear is hibernating and if he wakes up he’s going to be hungry. Oops!
Baby, Let’s Make Babies
The worm is about 1/50 of an inch or .5 mm long, and it’s named after a river in Russia that’s close to where it was found. It lived much longer than normal worms, which usually survive for only a few months. After the worm warmed up in the laboratory it was able to reproduce! So the worm was not just alive but also healthy.
Humans reproduce by mating. Cyborgs reproduce by copy and paste.
And Why Is This Important?!
Researchers want to learn how this worm stayed alive for so long. By studying this worm, scientists may learn new ways to preserve medicine, or even keep human organs safe for a long time in cold places. To preserve means to keep something as it is, especially in order to prevent it from decaying, being damaged or being destroyed. If we understand how the worm survived, we might find ways to help people survive extreme cold or space travel. This tiny worm could help us in big ways.
Randle, the red tree troll, likes to shop for freshly preserved humans. Never know when you might need a midnight snack.
Bonus: Today’s Idiom
For my more advanced readers, what do you think of this discovery? Finding a preserved animal from almost 50, 000 years ago is one thing. But, the fact that it was able to survive, and then reproduce, is something completely different! Also, what about trying to make technology that will allow humans to possibly hibernate for 10, 100 or even a 1,000 years or more? Is it a good idea or are we opening “a can of worms”? Let’s talk about this in the comments below. Write to me and I’ll write to you en shaa Allaah.
The idiom, “open a can of worms” means that there is a problem that doesn’t have one solution. In the beginning, the problem seems simple, but it becomes more difficult and complicated once you try to solve it.
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