Immortality has always been something we have marveled at for decades. Whether it is in books, movies, or comics, immortality still feels just out of reach for us. However, in the animal kingdom, there are already numerous animals that have evolved to live almost immortal lives.

These are Immortal Animals You Won’t Believe Are Real.


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3. Ocean quahog (500)
Usually found in the North Atlantic Ocean, this species of clam is usually collected and used commercially at seafood restaurants. What you might not know is that this species can grow to be over 500 years old.

Like a tree, these clams have rings on their outer shells that are used to help estimate their age. Initially, researchers believed the best place to count the growth rings would be inside the hinge ligaments. However, due to the extreme age of the clam, the rings were compressed, and the researchers could only get an approximation of 405 years. It wasn’t until 2013 that the researchers revisited the clam’s outside shell and found that the clam was actually 507 years old. Since the clam was born in the Ming Dynasty, it was given the nickname Ming by the researchers. Thanks its extreme age, Ming made it into the Guinness Book of World Records as one of the oldest creatures in the world.

It is believed that these clams can live so long due to the low amount of oxygen they process in their bodies. Effectively with less oxygen in their bodies, they can live their lives at a slower speed than any other animal.

While Ming was the oldest clam found, it is believed that there are older clams currently living in the ocean right now.


2. Rockfish
While these fish may look like oversized goldfish, they can live a lot longer than even the best-kept goldfish.

Rockfish are capable of surviving so long due to their slow aging process. Unlike other fish, the rockfish takes decades to mature which helps ensure they are healthy for reproduction. When they are finally capable of producing new eggs, they are very particular about the time they breed.

Some rockfish will even skip years of breeding if the water conditions are not right and could jeopardize their young. This instinct has helped dramatically lower the number of deaths in newborn rockfish and ensures they are brought up during the best times to grow into healthy adults. Some rockfish have even been known to forgo reproduction so they can grow and become stronger, further increasing their likelihood of creating healthy offsprings.

Thanks to the rockfish’s ability to selectively reproduce only when the conditions are perfect, it has helped the creatures to live well past 100 years.


1. Immortal Jellyfish
While all of the animals and creatures on this list can live for extreme amounts of time, the immortal jellyfish takes it to another level. This unique jellyfish is usually found in the Mediterranean sea and off of the coast in Japan and can restart its life cycle whenever it needs.

The Immortal Jellyfish gets its name thanks to a unique process called transdifferentiation. This process allows the jellyfish to reprogram its cells to serve new purposes. When an organ or system is starting to become sick or grow old with age, the jellyfish can reprogram cells to replace and repair the organs and systems almost instantly.

The immortal jellyfish is one of the only creatures in the world to be able to reprogram its cells. This unique ability has caused scientists all around the world to conduct extensive research into the jellyfish’s regenerative abilities. The hope is that if scientists can reproduce the cells these jellyfish have, they may be able to create new medicines and procedures that help repair human organs and heal sicknesses.

Of all the animals that are capable of extending their lives, the Immortal Jellyfish is still one of the most interesting. This small ocean animal may even lead to discoveries about how we can extend human life.

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