# lobsters **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 1, 2013, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lobsters/657224 "2013-05-01T17:28:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![e.fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@e.fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/e.fred)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lobsters/657224/1 "2013-05-01T17:28:36Z")
Can a lobster live forever? Also what about a jellyfish ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lobsters/657224/2 "2013-05-01T17:34:03Z")
Depends on your definition of “forever”. It isn’t unusual for a lobster to live over 100 years, and one has been reported to be over 2,000 years old (but that needs taken with a rather large grain of salt.) Due to the fact they have regenerative cells, they have longer than normal lifespans, if not eaten, but there doesn’t appear to be a definitive answer as to just how long they last. Jellyfish, on the other hand, seldom make it past 30. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lobsters/657224/3 "2013-05-01T17:50:07Z")
> [@e.fred](#): > > Can a lobster live forever? Also what about a jellyfish Yes. Yes they can. The lobsters you are eating now are over 4 billion years old. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lobsters/657224/4 "2013-05-01T17:53:27Z")
Expect to pay more though for Precambrian lobsters. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lobsters/657224/5 "2013-05-01T17:53:47Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > one has been reported to be over 2,000 years old (but that needs taken with a rather large grain of salt.) Most people prefer melted butter. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lobsters/657224/6 "2013-05-01T17:55:29Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > …Jellyfish, on the other hand, seldom make it past 30. Is that so, “Professor”? > **[Turritopsis nutricula](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turritopsis_nutricula)** > > Turritopsis nutricula is a small hydrozoan that once reaching adulthood, can transfer its cells back to childhood. This adaptive trait likely evolved in order to extend the life of the individual. Several different species of the genus Turritopsis were formerly classified as T. nutricula, including the "immortal jellyfish" which is now classified as T. dohrnii. > Hydrozoans have two distinct stages in their life, a polyp stage and a medusa stage. The polyp stage is benthic, with the cells formi... 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lobsters/657224/7 "2013-05-01T17:58:55Z")
From the [National Geographic](http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/lobster/) site: > [@](#): > > The largest lobster recorded was caught off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, and weighed 44.4 lbs (20.14 kg); it was between 3 and 4 ft (0.9 to 1.2 m) long. Scientists think it was at least 100 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lobsters/657224/8 "2013-05-01T18:03:26Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Is that so, “Professor”? > > [Turritopsis nutricula - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turritopsis_nutricula) > > 😃 Well, whaddya know, learn somethin’ new every day. 😃 I was, of course, referring to the more common peanut-butter-and-jellyfish variety. ---
**Author:** ![Furious\_Marmot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@Furious\_Marmot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Furious_Marmot)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lobsters/657224/9 "2013-05-01T18:33:49Z")
> [@e.fred](#): > > Can a lobster live forever? Also what about a jellyfish Not if they are stabbed by a spear-wielding gorilla. > [@lieu](#): > > Expect to pay more though for Precambrian lobsters. They’re not worth it. Hard as rocks. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lobsters/657224/10 "2013-05-01T18:49:41Z")
> [@Furious\_Marmot](#): > > They’re not worth it. Hard as rocks. You’re supposed to remove the shell before eating. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lobsters/657224/11 "2013-05-01T20:23:13Z")
> [@Furious\_Marmot](#): > > They’re not worth it. Hard as rocks. Rock lobster! ---
**Author:** ![Furious\_Marmot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@Furious\_Marmot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Furious_Marmot)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lobsters/657224/12 "2013-05-01T20:26:32Z")
There goes a Narwhal! ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lobsters/657224/13 "2013-05-01T20:37:04Z")
> [@Furious\_Marmot](#): > > There goes a Narwhal! Don’t you mean a sea unicorn, favored mount/pet of Poseidon? ---
**Author:** ![Furious\_Marmot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@Furious\_Marmot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Furious_Marmot)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lobsters/657224/14 "2013-05-01T20:46:48Z")
> [@dstarfire](#): > > Don’t you mean a sea unicorn, favored mount/pet of Poseidon? That must be an alternate lyric from an import CD. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lobsters/657224/15 "2013-05-01T21:22:16Z")
> [@dstarfire](#): > > Don’t you mean a sea unicorn, favored mount/pet of Poseidon? I thought that was Troy McClure.