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WHAT CAUSES SPECIES TO REGENERATE?

All organisms, including humans, have the ability to regenerate to a degree, but the process is much more developed in many invertebrates such as earthworms and starfish. 

These animals can grow new heads, tails and other body parts when injured.

Scientists don't know why mammals don't have the same ability, but they do regenerate skin, muscle and blood. 

Every multicellular organism is built from a single cell, which divides into two identical cells, then four, and so on.

Each of these cells contains the exact same twisted strands of DNA, and is considered pluripotent - meaning it can give rise to all possible cell types in the body.

But somewhere along the way, those starter cells - known as embryonic stem cells - resign themselves to a different fate and become skin cells, heart cells, muscle cells, or another cell type.

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