CHAPTER 5: KILLING IMMORTALS

Abstract

“We suggest that the organisms be maintained in the classroom until the end of their natural life span. As a last resort, humanely disposed of”, read the Carolina Biological Supply Company guidelines. The problem with the organisms hydra, small fresh-water polyps (Hydra viridissima and Hydra littoralis) is that they are biologically immortal. They seem to never age. Their natural life span is, assuming they live in perfect conditions, eternal.However, while a hydra does not appear to age, it can easily die for a variety of reasons. “During the first week and a half of our experiments approximately 33 of them died, and a hydra named Dolly is not looking good. A few hydra are missing”, read my laboratory notes that I keep for the purpose of making artwork.This article describes hydra experiments conducted by the professor of biology at Syracuse University, Robert B. Silver and by the author via laboratory notes in 2017 and 2018. The article describes our science and art collaboration, scientific study, the act of naming of individual hydra, the effects of time, and the ethical choices made during the experiments. It is a descriptive and self-reflective accounting of events that aims to both describe and improve the ongoing experiments.