On the image is the overall view of a female nematode. Two such creatures were successfully defrosted from 32,000 and 41,700-year-old permafrost, and have already exhibited signs of life.
Credit: Shatilovich, Tchesunov, et. al/Doklady Biological Sciences

In a major scientific breakthrough, worms that have been trapped in permafrost for tens of thousands of years have come back to life, and are said to be moving and eating.

They are now considered the world’s oldest living animals. (emphasis added)

Signs Of Life

Prehistoric nematodes are said to be showing signs of life and eating after researchers from various institutions collaborated and defrosted the permafrost they were trapped in for tens of thousands of years. Researchers evidently analyzed over 300 samples of permafrost from different origins and ages, and found two that were the most viable samples that contained nematodes, or more commonly known as roundworms.

Both samples came from the cold Yakutia region in Russia, but one came from a permafrost wall in a squirrel burrow, while the other was found in permafrost near the Alazeya river way back in […]