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503 points thunderbong | 3 comments | | HN request time: 0.411s | source
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dexwiz ◴[] No.42150438[source]
Wood frogs only live 3-5 years, so they probably only go through a max of 5 of these cycles. I wonder how much cellular damage they accumulate during these cycles that they can tolerate due to short lifespans. They also have ~10,000x less neurons than a mammal.

Even if you had the biochemistry that was able to do this, how many cycles could a higher life form tolerate this, assuming it would even work? Complex life seems to sacrifice some resiliency, such as the ability to regrow limbs. Amphibians already seem to be particularly adept at regeneration.

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8n4vidtmkvmk ◴[] No.42155068[source]
I don't understand why we're not allowed to regrow limbs. What did that make room for in our DNA?
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1. tim333 ◴[] No.42155959[source]
The only animal that really does it properly is the salamander and I guess our family trees diverged before they figured that out?

Still scientists are working on it - they've done frogs https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/can-humans-regr...

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2. 8n4vidtmkvmk ◴[] No.42159856[source]
Can't just be the salamander. I saw an iguana regrowing its tale just last week. Geckos too. Pretty sure starfish as well.
3. pvaldes ◴[] No.42160834[source]
> The only animal that really does it properly is the salamander

Vertebrates are animals, but not all animals are vertebrates.

A lot of invertebrates can regrow lost organs or even heads. Insects lose it for the luxury of having wings, but other arthropods can regrow lost limbs if they live for enough moults. Planarians can regenerate everything.