For the first time in history, scientists were able to see death itself! And capture it on video
The researchers documented the death process in a worm, in which blue fluorescent waves spread from cell to cell until the entire organism died.
The mechanism of the death of individual cells is quite well studied: it causes a chain chemical reaction that leads to the destruction of parts of the cell and the formation of molecular debris. However, until now, scientists had a vague idea of how “death” spreads throughout the body. While looking at the dying worm through a microscope, the researchers noticed how blue light passed through the intestines in waves.
According to a study published in PloS Biology, cell death (necrosis) spreads throughout the body due to a chemical reaction involving calcium contained in cells.
“Taking all the data into account, we questioned the popular theory that old age occurs as molecular damage accumulates in cells. By studying the biological component of the processes of aging and death, we can understand how to stop them,” says Professor James.
