AI Summary

Researchers at the University of Innsbruck studied the freshwater polyp Hydra oligactis, which normally reproduces asexually and is effectively immortal. They found that exposure to cold triggers a switch to sexual reproduction, initiating aging and eventual death. Metabolic analysis revealed a sharp decline in the amino‑acid taurine during this aging phase. The study links the cold‑induced reproductive shift to specific biochemical changes that underlie the loss of Hydra’s immortality.

AI summaries can be wrong sometimes—always verify important details using the source article.