Extreme Longevity: Discovering Earth's Oldest Organisms

by Karen Latchana Kenney

Overview

Meet the science experts who study specimens of extreme longevity in both the plant and animal kingdoms, such as the 80,000-year-old root system of Pando (a colony of male quaking aspens), 11,000-year-old deep-sea sponges, and 400-year-old sharks. Learn about technologies used to determine age and longevity, including DNA sampling, growth rings, and radiocarbon dating. See how scientists located these long-lived species were and why and how they resist disease and aging. And delve into how scientists are using what they know about aged plants and animals to research how we can promote longevity in humans.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781541538191
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/01/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	104
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	13 - 14 Years

About the Author

Karen Latchana Kenney was born near the rainforests of Guyana, but moved far north to Minnesota at a young age. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor's degree in English and has been writing and editing since. She has worked as an editor at an educational publishing company, but is now a full-time freelance writer and editor in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She has written more than 70 books on all kinds of subjects: from arts and crafts to biographies of famous people. Her books have received positive reviews from Booklist, Library Media Connection, and School Library Journal. When she's not busy writing, she loves biking and hiking with her husband and young son in the many beautiful parks of the state. Visit her online at http://latchanakenney.wordpress.com/.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Whale That Got Away 6

Chapter 1 Bowhead Whales: Slow, Cold, and Very Old 16

Chapter 2 Greenland Sharks: Arctic Ancients 24

Chapter 3 A Hydra and A Jellyfish: Near Immortals 34

Chapter 4 Glass Sponge Reefs and Stromatolites: Back From the Dead 48

Chapter 5 Tuatara: Reptile Relics 62

Chapter 6 Pan Do and King Clone: Persistent Plants 70

Chapter 7 Inside DNA: Searching For Longevity Genes 84

Comparative Timeline 92

Source Notes 93

Glossary 95

Selected Bibliography 98

Further Information 100

Index 102

Editorial Reviews

"A fascinating study of some of the longest-living organisms on the planet. . . . An excellent addition to middle school and high school library collections."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

Winter 2018

Gr 7 Up—A fascinating study of some of the longest-living organisms on the planet. Although many books cover the life of various plants and animals, this particular approach is thought-provoking and awe-inspiring. If we think of a standard human lifespan and then lengthen it by 20 years, most people would consider those centenarians to be truly old. Readers learn that there are many mammals, fish, reptiles and other smaller organisms that make our human lives seem like drops in an eternal bucket. Simply to imagine a bowhead whale's journey through icy Arctic waters, encountering whalers from the 1890s and then scientists from 2017, connects humans to our past as never before: human beings are merely one small component of time and Earth. The chapters are well written and succinct. Fascinating segments offer additional information, enhance the narrative, and will engross readers. Each chapter is a topic unto itself and offers scientific as well as anecdotal material. VERDICT An excellent addition to middle school and high school library collections.—Patricia Feriano, Montgomery County Public Schools, MD

School Library Journal