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Biological immortality is the technical term for organisms which do not die unless killed, or more accurately where rate of mortality from senescence does not i
by jjk166 6y ago
Biological immortality is the technical term for organisms which do not die unless killed, or more accurately where rate of mortality from senescence does not increase with chronological age.
- blago 6y agoAh, I didn't know that. Thanks.
- ckosidows 6y agoI thought the term was negligible senescence?
- jjk166 6y agoThey're similar but distinct concepts. Negligible senescence means after a point aging doesn't negatively affect the organism. They don't lose reproductive capability or experience functional decline. Imagine being 20 forever. Biological immortality means after some point mortality rates don't increase with age - you can still grow old, it just won't directly kill you. Biologically immortal organisms don't have a max lifespan, if they're lucky they can just keep on going, but they may be dramatically more feeble than their younger counterparts.
- kridsdale1 6y agoI think some Lobsters and Crocodiles are in the later category. Immune to cancer, their cells divide without limit over the years. So they never stop growing. The enormous ones are the oldest, and have a size fitness advantage in hunting and other combat, but a counter balancing fitness disadvantage in their increased needs.