We don’t think about seagrass that often. It sits on the ocean floor, it waves, it’s green, whoop-de-doo.
But apparently, a species of seagrass might be the oldest organism on Earth, and it might also be the key to keeping us cloned and sporty for all time.
Posidonia oceanica, to use its scientific name, reproduces both sexually and asexually. In other words, it clones itself sometimes. This allows it to both diversify genetically and preserve copies of previous iterations of the species. The problem is this: over time, at least in theory, cloned copies collect “errors”, slight mutations in the genetic code that ultimately render the organism a mutated, hideous shell of itself. You know, like Shatner’s first five or six hairpieces.
Posidonia? No errors. In fact, scientists are positing that its clonal spread (read: spamming copies of itself) allows it to avoid these errors and even possibly survive indefinitely: currently they think it can live for tens of thousands of years. This has incredible applications in other sciences, since error-proof cloning is the first step towards, say, humanity becoming immortal. Or even just making sure you transfer your hard drive properly, by imitating its clonal spread and copying the genotype (meaning your porn folder) precisely.
Thanks, seagrass!
[ via the grassy types at the BBC ]
image courtesy BBC