American scientists have discovered the world's oldest living organism, with an age of up to 34,000 years.

According to a recent report by the British Daily Mail, American scientists discovered an underground bacteria when they were looking for salt crystals in Death Valley, eastern California. The bacteria has a life span of 34,000 years and still shows signs of life. However, it no longer reproduces or consumes energy. It may be the oldest living organism in the world.

Brian Schubert, assistant researcher at the University of Hawaii and discoverer of the bacteria, said that these bacteria are currently doing nothing but maintaining their own state of life without consuming energy. The entire bacteria is in a shrunken hibernation state. As for why the bacteria has such an amazing lifespan, he believes it is due to its year-round existence in "Dunaliella," and these salt algae cells may be their food source.

Professor Tim Lowenstein of the Department of Geology at Binghamton University in the United States believed that the salt algae cells are like permanently sealed time capsules that can keep bacteria alive for a long time. This new discovery suggests that similar processes may also occur in current saltwater lakes.

Schubert's latest research results were published in the January 2011 issue of the Geological Society of America's journal.