3Pre-IntermediateKidsAges 9-11Science

Tiny Worm Wakes Up After 46,000 Years in Ice!

Scientists found a tiny worm frozen in ice for 46,000 years. When they warmed it up, the worm came back to life! This is the oldest animal ever to wake up from ice.

1 min readLevel 3August 8, 2026

By Flalingo Editorial Team

Vocabulary

Study these words before reading the article. Click the audio button to hear pronunciation.

frozen

/ˈfroʊzən/

adjective

Very cold and turned into ice

“The lake was frozen in winter.”

tiny

/ˈtaɪni/

adjective

Very, very small

“The baby bird was tiny.”

scientist

/ˈsaɪəntɪst/

noun

A person who studies nature and the world

“The scientist looked at the stars every night.”

survival

/sərˈvaɪvəl/

noun

Staying alive when things are very hard

“Water is important for survival in the desert.”

creature

/ˈkriːtʃər/

noun

Any living animal

“We saw a small creature in the garden.”

amazing

/əˈmeɪzɪŋ/

adjective

Very surprising and wonderful

“The magic show was amazing!”

Listen to Article

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Article

Click on any underlined word to see its definition. Highlighted words are from the vocabulary section.

Can you imagine sleeping for 46,000 years? A tiny worm did just that! Scientists found it deep under the ground. It was frozen in very old ice. The ice was in a cold place called Siberia.

The worm is very, very small. You need a special tool to see it. Scientists warmed the ice slowly in a lab. Then something amazing happened. The little worm started to move again!

The worm could even eat and have babies! Scientists want to learn its survival secret. This tiny creature is really tough. It can teach us about life on Earth. Nature is full of wonderful surprises!

Comprehension Quiz

Test your understanding of the article with these multiple-choice questions.

1
How long was the worm frozen in ice?
2
Where was the worm found?
3
What happened after the worm woke up?
4
How can you see the worm?

Discussion

Answer these comprehension questions about the article.

1
How long was the worm frozen in the ice?
2
Where did scientists find the tiny worm?
3
What happened when scientists warmed the ice?
4
What could the worm do after it woke up?
5
Why do scientists want to study this worm?

Further Discussion

Share your opinions on these open-ended questions.

1
What would you do if you woke up 46,000 years in the future?
2
Can you think of other animals that are very tough?
3
If you were a scientist, what animal would you study?
4
What is the coldest place you have ever been to?
5
If you could freeze one thing for the future, what would it be?

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