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I remember hearing as a kid that worms cut in half would regenerate into two worms however as an adult I'm sure I was taught this isn't actually the case at all

I remember hearing as a kid that worms cut in half would regenerate into two worms however as an adult I'm sure I was taught this isn't actually the case at all. After a quick bit of googling, it seems that earthworms can re-grow their tail (if cut far enough down), but the other end doesn't re-grow. Flat-Worms, however are capable of entirely re-growing heads and tails from tiny pieces. https://www.livescience.com/38405-how-flatworms-regrow-their-heads.html https://www.livescience.com/38405-how-flatworms-regrow-their...

keanebean86 7y ago
Some human children have regrown finger tips: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/06/10/190385484/chopped-how-amputated-fingertips-sometimes-grow-back https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/06/10/1903854...
fao_ 7y ago
> I remember hearing as a kid that worms cut in half would > regenerate into two worms however as an adult I'm sure I > was taught this isn't actually the case at all. Do you mean that you're sure that you weren't taught it, or that you're sure that it isn't the case in reality. Because the latter is easily answered by reading the article in question: > In an early experiment, McConnell trained the worms à la > Pavlov by pairing an electric shock with flashing lights. > Eventually, the worms recoiled to the light alone. Then > something interesting happened when he cut the worms in > half. The head of one half of the worm grew a tail and, > understandably, retained the memory of its training. > Surprisingly, however, the tail, which grew a head and a > brain, also retained the memory of its training. If a > headless worm can regrow a memory, then where is the memory > stored, McConnell wondered. And, if a memory can > regenerate, could he transfer it?
- BuildTheRobots 7y ago
  I meant I was sure that when I became an adult I was taught that worms regrowing was an urban myth. The fact the scientist in the article was regrowing them made me go and check and it turns out to be something that changes with different variants, rather than a blanket worm rule either way.

keanebean86 7y ago

Some human children have regrown finger tips: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/06/10/190385484/chopped-how-amputated-fingertips-sometimes-grow-back https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/06/10/1903854...

fao_ 7y ago

> I remember hearing as a kid that worms cut in half would > regenerate into two worms however as an adult I'm sure I > was taught this isn't actually the case at all. Do you mean that you're sure that you weren't taught it, or that you're sure that it isn't the case in reality. Because the latter is easily answered by reading the article in question: > In an early experiment, McConnell trained the worms à la > Pavlov by pairing an electric shock with flashing lights. > Eventually, the worms recoiled to the light alone. Then > something interesting happened when he cut the worms in > half. The head of one half of the worm grew a tail and, > understandably, retained the memory of its training. > Surprisingly, however, the tail, which grew a head and a > brain, also retained the memory of its training. If a > headless worm can regrow a memory, then where is the memory > stored, McConnell wondered. And, if a memory can > regenerate, could he transfer it?

BuildTheRobots 7y ago
I meant I was sure that when I became an adult I was taught that worms regrowing was an urban myth. The fact the scientist in the article was regrowing them made me go and check and it turns out to be something that changes with different variants, rather than a blanket worm rule either way.