The animal that can regrow its own brain
This animal can regrow almost any part of its body — including parts of its brain.
The short version
The axolotl is a salamander that never grows up. It regrows lost legs, its heart, spine, eyes and even parts of its brain — perfectly, with no scarring. Scientists study it to understand human healing.
Why it's so weird
- ✓The Axolotl can regrow its legs, heart, spine, eyes and even parts of its brain.
- ✓The Axolotl regrows lost body parts perfectly, with no scarring at all.
- ✓The Axolotl can accept a transplanted limb from another axolotl and use it as its own.
- ✓The Axolotl stays in its baby form for its whole life, keeping a permanent smile.
The full story
This animal can regrow almost any part of its body, including parts of its brain. Meet the axolotl, a salamander that basically never grows up. If it loses a leg, it just grows a brand new one. Bones, muscles, nerves and all, with no scarring at all. But it does not stop at legs. Axolotls can regenerate their heart, their spine, their eyes, and even pieces of their brain, and then use them like nothing ever happened. Scientists are studying them right now to understand how human healing might work one day. They can even accept a whole transplanted limb from another axolotl, and just start using it like it was always theirs. Oh, and that adorable permanent smile? It never goes away, because the axolotl stays in its baby form for its entire life. Nature's real-life superhero. Follow for more weird animals.
Watch the 45-second version
Axolotl gallery
