Scientists revived a 46,000-year-old worm that was living in Siberian permafrost.
When they brought it back to life, the worm started having babies.
Small worms like this are known to have the ability to shut down biological functions to survive.
Scientists discovered a female microscopic roundworm that has been stuck deep in Siberian permafrost for 46,000 years, the Washington Post reported.
When they revived it, the worm started having babies via a process called parthenogenesis, which doesn't require a mate.
According to a press release, the worm spent thousands of years in a type of dormancy called cryptobiosis.
"Altogether, our findings demonstrate that nematodes evolved mechanisms potentially allowing them to suspend life over geological time scales," the PLOS Genetics paper said. »
