Scientists have discovered the Benjamin Button of the marine world that could give us better insight into cancer cures.
Meet the moon jellyfish, which can heal and clone itself.
Two moon jellyfish
Despite these superpower-like characteristics, it was the invertebrate creature's unique life cycle that caught the attention of a graduate student in China, who began observing the squishy beings in 2011.
According to National Geographic, Jinru collected a baby male moon jellyfish from the ocean and raised it to a full grown adult.
After 18 months, it died and he placed its body in a fresh tank of water and simply waited.
“When they become old I tend to keep them because I always hope for a miracle," he told the publication.
Three months later, he got his miracle as he witnessed a small bud-like formation, known as a polyp, rising from the dead corpse.
Since it had never been seen before, Jinru said "it was very, very amazing.”
Publishing his findings in PLOS ONE, he also said that the jellyfish has the ability to reverse its life cycle.
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When the adult jellyfish are injured, they move to the bottom of the ocean floor where they revert back to a younger version of themselves.
In addition to being a working wonder of nature, these incredible creatures could also give scientists insight into cures for cancer.
Biologist, Stefano Pirano, told the National Geographic: "Cancer, using probably highly similar mechanisms, is uncontrolled cell proliferation without rules. There is no plan for what to do with the new cells.”
In the future, researchers could use jellyfish life cycles to gain further insight into cell division.