Similar to humans, planarians have brains, similar organs, and stem cells, so they are often used as model organisms for basic research. In addition, it is known that planaria has totipotent stem ...

Among their many extraordinary feats, some planarian flatworms reproduce by tearing off pieces of themselves to regenerate new worms. Now, researchers at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research ...

A study of peptide hormones in the brain of a seemingly primitive flatworm reveals the surprising complexity of its nervous system and opens up a new approach for combating a major parasitic disease, ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. Imagine waking in the morning with no brain, and no memory ...

The multi-headed monster Hydra was so terrifying, because it would re-grow two new heads for every head that was cut off. Only an old myth, but animals that can regenerate body parts also exist in the ...

Among their many extraordinary feats, some planarian flatworms reproduce by tearing off pieces of themselves to regenerate new worms. Now, researchers have discovered that this process is controlled ...