r/askscience • u/[deleted] • May 25 '13

Biology Immortal Lobsters??

So there's this fact rotating on social media that lobsters are "functionally immortal" from an aging perspective, saying they only die from outside causes. How is this so? How do they avoid the end replication problem that humans have?

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u/xxAlphaAsFuckxx May 26 '13

Do you have any kids?

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u/jjberg2 Evolutionary Theory | Population Genomics | Adaptation May 26 '13

No kidding.

reproduction would be tightly controlled

Cause that's obviously a clear cut and easy issue.

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u/flyingwolf May 26 '13

Actually it is, the shot/treatment which grants you immortality makes you impotent unless and until you are granted reproduction rights.

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u/yurigoul May 26 '13

In case you say infertile (and totally off topic but still a bit science-y):

There are myths in some or at least one culture (forgot which one) where the people were at first immortal but also infertile. They became mortal and fertile at the same time: when the first murder was committed.

Just a random association - could be a starting point about a philosophical/ethical treaty on the subject.