from Hacker News

When we die do we still have any of the original cells from our birth? (2020)

by RyanShook on 7/2/25, 4:27 AM with 22 comments

  • by __MatrixMan__ on 7/2/25, 6:13 AM

    Despite what the top answerer says, there is some evidence that human adults can grow new nerve tissue: https://sci-hub.st/10.1038/s41591-019-0375-9

    That said, it's not like skin: we don't grow enough to pull off a complete replacement.

  • by tsoukase on 7/2/25, 6:56 PM

    In an abstract way, the original identity question as well as the Theseus' ship paradox are trivially solved using the Forms (Ideas) view of Plato. The abstract idea (the "definition") remains the same but the real object (the "implementation") is different.
  • by thaumasiotes on 7/2/25, 5:28 AM

    Women are born with all of their eggs, but they kill the eggs as part of the onset of menopause, which I guess wouldn't count for this question.

    To have an original cell, it would have to divide zero times between your birth and your death. I think nerve cells might have this property?

  • by vlod on 7/2/25, 2:22 PM

    Keep thinking of 'Ship of Theseus' [0]

    [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus

  • by pointlessone on 7/2/25, 6:14 AM

    Wasn’t neurogenesis accepted since like 80s?
  • by fracus on 7/2/25, 4:51 AM

    I won't spoil the article, but if we didn't, we'd be the Ship of Theseus.
  • by fallingfrog on 7/2/25, 1:19 PM

    Yes, all the cells at death are divided pieces of cells that were present at birth.
  • by comrade1234 on 7/2/25, 11:27 AM

    I guess it depends on how early you die.