Axolotls seem to pause their biological clocks and stop ageing



Axolotls appear to age very little over their lifetimes
SeaTops / Alamy
Ever wished you could hit the pause button on ageing? At least one creature may do just that. Axolotls seem to halt one of the hallmarks of the process part way through their lives, a finding that could shed new light on ageing and regeneration.
Axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum) belong to a group of amphibians called salamanders, which are famed for their astonishing powers of regeneration, such as regrowing amputated limbs. They also appear to age very little, a feature called negligible senescence.
You Might Also Like
A new version of the periodic table could change how we measure time
A periodic table of highly charged ionsChunhai Lyu et al. (2025) A new version of the periodic table of elements...
Chatbots can hide secret messages in seemingly normal conversations
Encrypted messages could be hidden within a normal-looking conversation on social mediaTero Vesalainen/iStockphoto/Getty Images Secret messages can be hidden inside...
We can build quantum computers using the rules of special relativity
The odd effects of special relativity can be harnessed to build quantum computersYuichiro Chino/Getty Images Special relativity could be harnessed...
New colour seen for the first time by tricking the eyes
Our retinas could be made to see a vivid shade of blue-greenMikeCS images/Alamy Five people have witnessed an intense green-blue...