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Contrary to popular notions of complex technological resurrection, the method used to revive these ancient worms was remarkably straightforward. The scientists simply thawed the specimens by immersing them in water at room temperature—an approach akin to defrosting a frozen meal from Costco. This minimal intervention was enough to reanimate the worms, which had been in a state of suspended animation for millennia.
The worms' remarkable survival hinges on a natural dormancy called cryptobiosis, a state in which their metabolic processes nearly halt. In this cryptobiotic condition, the worms effectively pause their biological clock, allowing them to endure extreme environmental conditions such as extreme cold and dehydration for extended periods.