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Scientists Discover How a Tiny Freshwater Animal Performs a Somersault 04/04/2021
Hydra attached to a surface. Photo: Coveredinsevindust/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
What do hydra, tiny freshwater organisms that look like inverted jellyfish, have in common with four-time Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles? Their incredible ability to somersault, it seems. Hydra are smaller than the width of a human finger but can bend their bodies and perfectly flip over their tentacles. Now, with a combination of biophysical experiments and computational modelling, researchers have found that differences in tissue stiffness along hydra’s body length makes this unique motion possible.
Named after the serpent-like monster in Greek mythology that regrows two heads for each one that’s cut off, hydra are known for similar powers of regeneration. Slice open a hydra and each half will grow into two new bodies. In addition, they don’t exhibit ageing, leading some biologists to label