See a detached sea slug head regrow a new body | Science News

After noticing some Elysia sea slugs shedding their bodies and regrowing new ones, researchers documented this extreme regeneration. A tiny leash tied around a natural groove in the neck of a sea slug prompts the slug to escape by discarding most of its body, including such major organs as its heart. That headless body remains alive for a while, but eventually dies. The head, however, crawls around on its own and by a week later has visibly started to grow its body back. In 17 days, this sea slug’s regeneration is complete.

Video: Sayaka Mitoh

[dabcorn]

My kid had a black & red caterpillar in a little bug box. It pinched itself in two, right in the middle. One half shriveled and died the other half grew, attached itself to the lid, chrysalis, emerged a white moth with black markings. I think it was a Texas 'leopard moth'... Bizarre....

[hollow]

"You are what you eat"
That one guy who eats Elysia sea slugs: "I'm gonna be dressing up as the headless horseman for halloween!"

[billsmith]

Ain't got no body got some body new

[ricosuave]

This is something that the Highlander immortals should have had. :) *_THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!_*

[thegroovyb]

That's what Kurt Conners shoulda based his experiments on lol.

[svetlankam]

Cheese and butter, Mother Nature is so magical!
Maybe there still is some hope for the humans, too ;).
Thanx for sharing!

[fredbaumann]

Be sure to come back next month for "Wingless Fly vs. Magnifying Glass" and "Kittens Can't Regrow Sh*t!" on the April edition of Dr. Mengele's Science Theater!