The Ability to Regenerate Lost Organs

Scientists conducted an experiment using a freshwater creature—the hydra. They ground it up in a porcelain laboratory mortar and poured the resulting paste into water. After a certain period, they observed that new hydras began to grow from the crushed particles. Each microscopic piece of the ground mass produced a new polyp.

Here’s another fascinating phenomenon: if you cut off one arm of a starfish, a new one will grow in its place. If you divide the starfish into, say, five pieces and toss them into seawater, each fragment will develop into a new starfish.

The ability to regenerate lost body parts is also found in more complex animals. For instance, lizards can intentionally detach their tails if a predator grabs them. After some time, a new tail grows back, although it may not be as long or slender as the original.