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Explore the extraordinary discovery of 46,000-year-old nematodes revived from Siberian permafrost in this 31-minute SETI Live episode. Join host Simon Steel and evolutionary biologist Philipp Schiffer as they discuss how these microscopic worms survived in cryptobiosis—a state of suspended animation—for tens of thousands of years before being successfully thawed and brought back to life in laboratory conditions. Discover how radiocarbon dating confirmed these organisms lived during the late Pleistocene era alongside woolly mammoths, and learn about their remarkable ability to feed and reproduce after their extended dormancy. Delve into the science behind cryptobiosis and what this breakthrough reveals about the extreme limits of biological resilience and suspended animation. Examine the implications of this discovery for understanding life's capacity to survive in extreme conditions and what it might mean for astrobiology and the search for life beyond Earth.
