Revision History

Scientists have revived nematodes from Siberian permafrost that had been in cryptobiosis for up to 46,000 years, and the organisms subsequently reproduced via parthenogenesis. The discovery, initially reported as a 24,000-year-old revival and later extended to 46,000 years through updated radiocarbon dating, raises questions about the upper limits of suspended animation, the biosafety risks of thawing permafrost, and the commercial potential of cryoprotective biochemistry.