A STRANGE tentacled creature is bamboozling scientists as it spreads contagious cancer and seemingly lives forever.
Researchers have become intrigued by the so-called “brown hydra” in the hope it provides insight into how cancer spreads.
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The jellyfish-like creatures had previously been studied by biologists for their impressive longevity.
They are microscopic – about 25mm in length – favouring ponds, lakes and rivers for homes.
But now there are fears human impacts could create the right conditions for more contagious cancers to spread, potentially endangering animals.
The spread of the dreaded disease has had devastating effects in the past, with the Tasmanian devil in Australia declining by 80 per cent due to the transmissible “devil facial tumour disease”.
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And humans could be making matters worse without realising.
Evolutionary ecologist Sophie Tissot, who led a French study into Brown Hydra cancer, said: “Human activities may unknowingly create conditions that favour the spread of these cancers.”
The findings were made by France’s National Centre for Scientific Research and showed transmissible cancer could emerge in the Brown Hydra when it overfeeds.
The research group are hoping to use their findings to better understand how transmissible cancers work, shedding light on how the disease can spread in the animal kingdom.
They observed how the creature passed its contagious tumours down to offspring, and while some spread rapidly, others seemed to fizzle out.
Successive generations developed the cancer because it is most likely contagious, the scientists found.
Tissot said: “If this conclusion is confirmed in the future … it is crucial to consider these aspects in the study of ecosystems disturbed by human activities.”
It’s not clear whether the brown hydras can offer any insight into humans contracting cancer.
Dr. Antoine Dujon, who contributed to the study, said the aim was to see how cancer could pass through generations.
He said: “This study aimed to see how these tumours emerged in a ‘patient zero’ hydra and how they were passed down through generations, to provide fresh insights into how transmissible cancers spread.”
Scientists ultimately learned more about how cancer spreads among animals with high rates of the disease, Dr Dujon said.
He added: “By learning how transmissible cancers form and spread in these tiny creatures, we can better understand and manage similar cancers in other species.
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“This is especially important for animals like the Tasmanian devil, where over 80% of the population has been devastated by such diseases.
“Gaining these insights could help us develop better ways to prevent and handle these serious cancers in different species and ecosystems.”
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