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An impressive series of examples
animal species and their life expectancy
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The title “Animals That Do Not Die” speaks for itself
Brief summary
This video, entitled “5 Animals That Broke the Rules of Death”, is about five remarkable marine animals and reptiles that seem to defy the biological laws of ageing and death. The presenter discusses how these animals can live to an extreme age or are even biologically “immortal”:
Galápagos giant tortoiseThese tortoises can easily live to be over 150 years old. They partly owe this to their slow metabolism, but scientists also discovered that they have extra copies of certain genes that help with DNA repair and actively preventing tumours.
Greenland sharkThis is the longest-lived vertebrate on Earth. Through carbon dating of proteins in their eyes, it has been discovered that they can live to between 250 and possibly even more than 500 years old. Their extreme lifespan is attributed to the freezing Arctic waters and an extremely slow, stable metabolism that does not seem to decline as they age.
Black coralIn the deep sea around Hawaii, a colony of black coral (Leiopathes annosa) has been found that is estimated to be no less than 4,265 years old. They owe their impressive age to extremely slow growth (only 4 micrometres per year) in a very stable and dark environment.
Glass spongesCertain sponges in Antarctic waters, such as the giant volcano sponge, are estimated to be able to reach ages of up to 15,000 years. These primitive multicellular animals live at an extremely slow pace and have survived since the last ice age.
The immortal jellyfish (Turritopsis dohrnii)This tiny jellyfish is the only species that can actually cheat death. When the creature becomes injured, stressed or starves, it can reprogramme its cells and return from its adult stage to an earlier phase of life (a polyp on the seabed). Because of this, it can theoretically reset its own life cycle infinitely and never dies of old age.
Finally, the video raises the question of whether, by studying these wondrous survival mechanisms, we might be able to extend the human lifespan in the future.
Title: Why animals have different life expectancies
Brief summary
The video explains why lifespan in the animal kingdom varies so enormously, from microscopic worms that live for only a few weeks to certain marine animals that can live for thousands of years.
Here are the main points:
Causes of ageing: The ageing process is mainly caused by cell death and the deteriorating function of cells as an organism grows older.
The role of the environmentg: Environmental factors play a major role. In extremely cold waters, animals' heart rates and metabolism slow down, which suggests theories that this also slows down the aging process. For example, a Greenland shark can live to be over 400 years old.
Body size and predators: Generally, larger animals live longer than smaller animals. Because small animals (such as mice) have a higher chance of being eaten by predators, they are evolutionarily programmed to grow quickly and reproduce in a short timeframe. Large animals are better able to defend themselves and therefore have the “luxury” of time to grow.
Cellular renewal and genetics: Some small animals, such as flies and worms, consist primarily of cells that cannot divide or regenerate if damaged. Furthermore, animals with similar characteristics can still age at different rates due to genetic differences, such as how their cells respond to threats.
HumanityHumans currently have an average life expectancy of 71 years (depending on where in the world you live). We are potentially the only animal species on Earth that has any control over our own natural destiny by actively managing factors such as diet, healthcare, and environmental exposure.