List of longest-living organisms

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The 100 species with longest life-spans recorded and verified The 100 species with longest life-spans recorded and verified.svg
The 100 species with longest life-spans recorded and verified

This is a list of the longest-living biological organisms: the individual(s) (or in some instances, clones) of a species with the longest natural maximum life spans. For a given species, such a designation may include:

Contents

  1. The oldest known individual(s) that are currently alive, with verified ages.
  2. Verified individual record holders, such as the longest-lived human, Jeanne Calment, or the longest-lived domestic cat, Creme Puff.

The definition of "longest-living" used in this article considers only the observed or estimated length of an individual organism's natural lifespan – that is, the duration of time between its birth or conception, or the earliest emergence of its identity as an individual organism, and its death – and does not consider other conceivable interpretations of "longest-living", such as the length of time between the earliest appearance of a species in the fossil record and the present (the historical "age" of the species as a whole), the time between a species' first speciation and its extinction (the phylogenetic "lifespan" of the species), or the range of possible lifespans of a species' individuals. This list includes long-lived organisms that are currently still alive as well as those that are dead.

Determining the length of an organism's natural lifespan is complicated by many problems of definition and interpretation, as well as by practical difficulties in reliably measuring age, particularly for extremely old organisms and for those that reproduce by asexual cloning. In many cases the ages listed below are estimates based on observed present-day growth rates, which may differ significantly from the growth rates experienced thousands of years ago. Identifying the longest-living organisms also depends on defining what constitutes an "individual" organism, which can be problematic, since many asexual organisms and clonal colonies defy one or both of the traditional colloquial definitions of individuality (having a distinct genotype and having an independent, physically separate body). Additionally, some organisms maintain the capability to reproduce through very long periods of metabolic dormancy, during which they may not be considered "alive" by certain definitions but nonetheless can resume normal metabolism afterward; it is unclear whether the dormant periods should be counted as part of the organism's lifespan.

Biological immortality

Hydras may not grow old. Hydra-Foto.jpg
Hydras may not grow old.

If the mortality rate of a species does not increase after maturity, the species does not age and is said to be biologically immortal. There are numerous plants and animals for which the mortality rate has been observed to actually decrease with age, for all or part of the life cycle. [2] Hydra were observed for four years without any increase in mortality rate. [3] If the mortality rate remains constant, the rate determines the mean lifespan. The lifespan may be long or short, though the species technically does not "age".

Individuals of other species have been observed to regress to a larval state and regrow into adults multiple times. The hydrozoan species Turritopsis dohrnii (formerly Turritopsis nutricula) is capable of cycling from a mature adult stage to an immature polyp stage and back again. This means no natural limit to its lifespan is known. [4] No single specimen has been observed for any extended period, however, and estimating the age of a specimen is not possible by any known means. At least one other hydrozoan (Laodicea undulata [5] ) and one scyphozoan (Aurelia sp.1 [6] ) can also revert from a medusa stage into a polyp stage.

Similarly, the larvae of skin beetles undergo a degree of "reversed development" when starved, and later grow back to the previously attained level of maturity. This cycle can be repeated many times. However, repeated cycles result in physiological deterioration, suggesting that these beetle larvae still age. [7]

Revived into activity after stasis

If the definition of lifespan does not exclude time spent in metabolically inactive states, many organisms may be said to have lifespans that are millions of years in length. Various claims have been made about reviving bacterial spores to active metabolism after millions of years of dormancy. Spores preserved in amber have been revived after 40 million years, [8] and spores from salt deposits in New Mexico have been revived after 250 million years, making these bacteria by far the longest-living organisms ever recorded. [9] Similarly, in May 2022 prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms were found in crystals of halite; these could be over 800 million years old but it remains uncertain if they are alive or if they could be revived. [10] [11] In a related find, a scientist was able to coax 34,000-year-old salt-captured bacteria to reproduce. These results were subsequently duplicated independently. [12]

This Judean date palm sprouted from a 2,000-year-old seed. JudeanDatePalmMethuselah.JPG
This Judean date palm sprouted from a 2,000-year-old seed.

In July 2018, scientists from four Russian institutions collaborating with Princeton University reported that they had analyzed about 300 prehistoric nematode worms recovered from permafrost above the Arctic Circle in Sakha Republic, and that after being thawed, two of the nematodes revived and began moving and eating. One found in a Pleistocene squirrel burrow in the Duvanny Yar outcrop on the Kolyma River was believed to be about 32,000 years old, while the other, recovered in 2015 near the Alazeya River, was dated at approximately 30,000-40,000 years old. These nematodes were believed to be the oldest living multicellular organisms on Earth. [13] [14] In 2023, it was reported that nematodes of the previously undescribed Panagrolaimus kolymaensis were revived after 46,000 years in cryptobiosis. [15]

Like bacterial spores, plant seeds are often capable of germinating after very long periods of metabolic inactivity. A seed from the previously extinct Judean date palm was revived and managed to sprout after nearly 2,000 years. Named "Methuselah", it is currently growing at Kibbutz Ketura, Israel. [16] Similarly, the flowering plant Silene stenophylla was grown from fruit found in an ancient squirrel's cache. The germinated plants bore viable seeds. The fruit was dated at 31,800 ± 300 years old. [17] In 1994, a seed from a sacred lotus ( Nelumbo nucifera ), dated at roughly 1,300 ± 270 years old, was successfully germinated. [18] [19] In 2024, a never-before-seen species of Commiphora was grown from a successfully germinated seed that is estimated to be 1,000 years old. [20]

During the 1990s, Raul Cano, a microbiologist at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, US, reported reviving yeast trapped in amber for 25 million years, although doubts were raised as to its antiquity. [21] [22] [ citation needed ] Cano founded a brewery [23] and crafted an "amber ale" with a 45-million-year-old variant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae . [24]

List of longest-living organisms

Microorganisms

Some endoliths have extremely long lives. In August 2013, researchers reported evidence of endoliths in the ocean floor, perhaps millions of years old, with a generation time of 10,000 years. [25] These are slowly metabolizing and not in a dormant state. Some Actinomycetota found in Siberia are estimated to be half a million years old. [26] [27] [28]

The microorganisms discovered in the ocean floor 13C and 15N incorporation in representative microbial cells.webp
The microorganisms discovered in the ocean floor

In July 2020, marine biologists reported that aerobic microorganisms (mainly), in "quasi-suspended animation", were found in organically poor sediments, up to 101.5 million years old, 68.9 metres (226 feet) below the seafloor in the South Pacific Gyre (SPG) ("the deadest spot in the ocean"), and could be the longest-living life forms ever found, [29] [30] yet in October 2024, scientists reported aerobic microorganisms in a 2 billion years old rock drilled from 15 meters underground from a formation known as the Bushveld Igneous Complex in northeastern South Africa, but the age of the microorganisms is unknown. [31] [32]

Clonal plant and fungal colonies

Pando is a clonal colony of quaking aspens that is several thousand years old. FallPando02.jpg
Pando is a clonal colony of quaking aspens that is several thousand years old.

As with all long-lived plant and fungal species, no individual part of a clonal colony is alive (in the sense of active metabolism) for more than a very small fraction of the life of the entire colony. Some clonal colonies may be fully connected via their root systems, while most are not interconnected but are nonetheless genetically identical clones that populated an area through vegetative reproduction. Ages for clonal colonies are estimates, often based on current growth rates. [33]

Individual plant specimens

The Llangernyw Yew may be the oldest tree in Europe. The Llangernyw yew.jpg
The Llangernyw Yew may be the oldest tree in Europe.

Aquatic animals

Giant barrel sponges can live more than 2,000 years. Reef3860 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library.jpg
Giant barrel sponges can live more than 2,000 years.


Humans

World map of the life expectancy at birth for humans in 2023 (UN estimate, smooth palette)
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World map of the life expectancy at birth for humans in 2023 (UN estimate, smooth palette)
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Humans are among the longest living land mammals. [105]

These are single examples; for a broader view, see life expectancy (includes humans).

Other terrestrial and pagophilic animals

Jonathan in 2021. Jonathan-plantation-house.jpg
Jonathan in 2021.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Life expectancy</span> Measure of average lifespan in a given population

Human life expectancy is a statistical measure of the estimate of the average remaining years of life at a given age. The most commonly used measure is life expectancy at birth. This can be defined in two ways. Cohort LEB is the mean length of life of a birth cohort and can be computed only for cohorts born so long ago that all their members have died. Period LEB is the mean length of life of a hypothetical cohort assumed to be exposed, from birth through death, to the mortality rates observed at a given year. National LEB figures reported by national agencies and international organizations for human populations are estimates of period LEB.

<i>Larrea tridentata</i> Species of plant

Larrea tridentata, called creosote bush and greasewood as a plant, chaparral as a medicinal herb, and gobernadora in Mexico, due to its ability to secure more water by inhibiting the growth of nearby plants. In Sonora, it is more commonly called hediondilla; Spanish hediondo = "smelly".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tortoise</span> Family of turtles

Tortoises are reptiles of the family Testudinidae of the order Testudines. Like other turtles, tortoises have a shell to protect from predation and other threats. The shell in tortoises is generally hard, and like other members of the suborder Cryptodira, they retract their necks and heads directly backward into the shell to protect them.

Senescence or biological aging is the gradual deterioration of functional characteristics in living organisms. Whole organism senescence involves an increase in death rates or a decrease in fecundity with increasing age, at least in the later part of an organism's life cycle. However, the resulting effects of senescence can be delayed. The 1934 discovery that calorie restriction can extend lifespans by 50% in rats, the existence of species having negligible senescence, and the existence of potentially immortal organisms such as members of the genus Hydra have motivated research into delaying senescence and thus age-related diseases. Rare human mutations can cause accelerated aging diseases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longevity</span> Longer than typical lifespan, especially of humans

Longevity may refer to especially long-lived members of a population, whereas life expectancy is defined statistically as the average number of years remaining at a given age. For example, a population's life expectancy at birth is the same as the average age at death for all people born in the same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bristlecone pine</span> Three species of pine trees native to the Western United States

The term bristlecone pine covers three species of pine tree. All three species are long-lived and highly resilient to harsh weather and bad soils. One of the three species, Pinus longaeva, is among the longest-lived life forms on Earth. The oldest of this species is more than 4,800 years old, making it the oldest known individual of any species. Many scientists are curious as to why this tree is able to live so long. In one study, they discovered that Pinus longaeva has higher levels of telomerase activity, which further slows or prevents the attrition rate of telomeres. This potentially contributes to the extended life of the bristlecone pine.

Maximum life span is a measure of the maximum amount of time one or more members of a population have been observed to survive between birth and death. The term can also denote an estimate of the maximum amount of time that a member of a given species could survive between birth and death, provided circumstances that are optimal to that member's longevity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supercentenarian</span> Someone who is 110 years or older

A supercentenarian, sometimes hyphenated as super-centenarian, is a person who is 110 years or older. This age is achieved by about one in 1,000 centenarians. Supercentenarians typically live a life free of significant age-related diseases until shortly before the maximum human lifespan is reached.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pinta Island tortoise</span> Subspecies of Galápagos tortoise

The Pinta Island tortoise, also known as the Pinta giant tortoise, Abingdon Island tortoise, or Abingdon Island giant tortoise, is a recently extinct subspecies of Galápagos tortoise native to Ecuador's Pinta Island.

<i>Picea abies</i> Species of plant

Picea abies, the Norway spruce or European spruce, is a species of spruce native to Northern, Central and Eastern Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clonal colony</span> Genetically identical, single site plants, fungi, or bacteria

A clonal colony or genet is a group of genetically identical individuals, such as plants, fungi, or bacteria, that have grown in a given location, all originating vegetatively, not sexually, from a single ancestor. In plants, an individual in such a population is referred to as a ramet. In fungi, "individuals" typically refers to the visible fruiting bodies or mushrooms that develop from a common mycelium which, although spread over a large area, is otherwise hidden in the soil. Clonal colonies are common in many plant species. Although many plants reproduce sexually through the production of seed, reproduction occurs by underground stolons or rhizomes in some plants. Above ground, these plants most often appear to be distinct individuals, but underground they remain interconnected and are all clones of the same plant. However, it is not always easy to recognize a clonal colony especially if it spreads underground and is also sexually reproducing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prometheus (tree)</span> Oldest known non-clonal organism

Prometheus was the oldest known non-clonal organism, a Great Basin bristlecone pine tree growing near the tree line on Wheeler Peak in eastern Nevada, United States. The tree, which was at least 4,862 years old and possibly more than 5,000, was cut down in 1964 by a graduate student and United States Forest Service personnel for research purposes. Those involved did not know of its world-record age before the cutting, and the circumstances and decision-making process remain controversial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Methuselah (pine tree)</span> Bristlecone pine tree in the White Mountains, California

Methuselah is a 4,856-year-old Great Basin bristlecone pine tree growing high in the White Mountains of Inyo County in eastern California. It is recognized as the non-clonal tree with the greatest confirmed age in the world. Its old age is a result of harsh weather and a lack of nutrients, which slow down the decaying process. The tree's name refers to the biblical patriarch Methuselah, who is said to have reached 969 years of age before his death, thus becoming synonymous with longevity or old age in many European languages including English.

Aging in cats is the process by which cats change over the course of their natural lifespans. The average lifespan of a domestic cat may range from 13 to 20 years. As cats senesce, they undergo predictable changes in health and behavior. Dental disease and loss of olfaction are common as cats age, affecting eating habits. Arthritis and sarcopenia are also common in older cats. How a cat's health is affected by aging may be managed through modifications in a cat's diet, accessibility adjustments, and cognitive stimulation.

Ageing is the process of becoming older. The term refers mainly to humans, many other animals, and fungi, whereas for example, bacteria, perennial plants and some simple animals are potentially biologically immortal. In a broader sense, ageing can refer to single cells within an organism which have ceased dividing, or to the population of a species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Largest organisms</span> List of largest organisms on Earth

This article lists the largest organisms for various types of life and mostly considers extant species, which found on Earth can be determined according to various aspects of an organism's size, such as: mass, volume, area, length, height, or even genome size. Some organisms group together to form a superorganism, but such are not classed as single large organisms. The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest structure composed of living entities, stretching 2,000 km (1,200 mi) but contains many organisms of many types of species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pando (tree)</span> Largest known organism

Pando, is the world's largest tree, a quaking aspen located in Sevier County, Utah, United States, in the Fishlake National Forest. A male clonal organism, Pando has an estimated 47,000 stems (ramets) that appear to be individual trees, but are connected by a root system that spans 42.8 ha. Pando is the largest tree by weight and landmass and the largest known aspen clone. Pando was identified as a single living organism because each of its stems possesses identical genetic markers. The massive interconnected root system coordinates energy production, defense and regeneration across the tree's landmass. Pando spans 1.08 km × 0.72 km at its widest expanse along of the southwestern edge of the Fishlake Basin and lies 0.69 km (0.43 mi) to the west of Fish Lake, the largest natural mountain freshwater lake in Utah. Pando's landmass spreads from 2,700 m (8,900 ft) above sea level to approximately 2,773 m (9,098 ft) above sea level along the western side of a steep basin wall. Pando is estimated to weigh collectively 6,000 tonnes (6,000,000 kg), or 13.2 million pounds, making it the heaviest known organism. The Pando Tree's 43-hectare (106-acre) expanse also makes Pando the largest tree by landmass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Negligible senescence</span> Organisms that do not exhibit evidence of biological aging

Negligible senescence is a term coined by biogerontologist Caleb Finch to denote organisms that do not exhibit evidence of biological aging (senescence), such as measurable reductions in their reproductive capability, measurable functional decline, or rising death rates with age. There are many species where scientists have seen no increase in mortality after maturity. This may mean that the lifespan of the organism is so long that researchers' subjects have not yet lived up to the time when a measure of the species' longevity can be made. Turtles, for example, were once thought to lack senescence, but more extensive observations have found evidence of decreasing fitness with age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rate-of-living theory</span> Theory of biological ageing

The rate of living theory postulates that the faster an organism's metabolism, the shorter its lifespan. First proposed by Max Rubner in 1908, the theory was based on his observation that smaller animals had faster metabolisms and shorter lifespans compared to larger animals with slower metabolisms. The theory gained further credibility through the work of Raymond Pearl, who conducted experiments on drosophila and cantaloupe seeds, which supported Rubner's initial observation. Pearl's findings were later published in his book, The Rate of Living, in 1928, in which he expounded upon Rubner's theory and demonstrated a causal relationship between the slowing of metabolism and an increase in lifespan.

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