Good thing they can't think, or else i'd imagine they'd get super bored of life eventually..
2006-09-23 18:01:24 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
i learned that from:
http://www.pbs.org/kcet/shapeoflife/episodes/ulti_explo2.html
2006-09-23 18:59:28 · update #1
now i do
2006-09-23 18:08:55 · answer #1 · answered by dew li low moe 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I didnt know that starfish are able to do that. I hope theres a little starfish in me =). I know that the only human cell that actually is created to never die (as opposed to the rest of human cells that are created with a specific genetic life code expectancy) is the female egg cell. I believe this is being studied atm. P.S. I am only 42 and I am already bored with life. :)
2006-09-24 01:11:11 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
hmmm... they may be able to regenerate, but they won't live forever.
Every time your cells replicate they copy your DNA, but with every replication, there's about 1 error for every billion base pairs; over the course of a lifetime, the DNA continues to degrade, which is how aging occurs. Even if the starfish never got harmed or became ill, it's DNA would be so erroded that it wouldnt be able to code for the necessary enzymes to carry out basic metabolic processes, and would eventually expire.
2006-09-24 01:56:44 · answer #3 · answered by the_quetzal 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually any species will live forever "unless it gets injured or sick". The problem is, as an organism reaches the upper limits of its lifespan (assuming it didn't get killed by an injury sooner), its organ systems gradually begin to break down, and it does get sick. This applies to starfishes as well as any other organisms.
2006-09-24 15:18:55 · answer #4 · answered by PaulCyp 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, you are incorrect. Different species of seastars have different lifespans, but no animal can live forever.
Where did you hear about seastars living forever?
2006-09-24 01:53:40 · answer #5 · answered by arbiteroffunk 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they can regenerate their body parts even if they do get harmed =P so if you cut a piece of it off, through mitosis, it'll grow it right back... although it'll grow quite slowly.
2006-09-24 01:04:00 · answer #6 · answered by dharken2 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Does anyone really care?
2006-09-24 01:09:07 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
so if they live forever how do they get sick?
2006-09-24 01:10:02 · answer #8 · answered by dsggirl_atl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋