Scientists at the University of Cologne’s worm lab in Germany have discovered a previously unknown species of nematode worm that survived being frozen in Siberian permafrost for 46,000 years. The worm entered a dormant state known as cryptobiosis, during which it did not eat and lacked a metabolism. This is the longest recorded case of cryptobiosis for a nematode. The soil from the permafrost sample was dated using radiocarbon dating. Researchers named the worm Panagrolaimus kolymaensis, and it reproduced asexually after being thawed. The descendants of the original worm will be used for further research, which aims to understand how these worms adapt to extreme environments and potentially reveal how other animals can adapt to climate change.
NPR: Remarkably, a nematode species thrived for 46,000 years in permafrost
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