Caenorhabditis elegans, or C. elegans, are tiny worms with tiny brains—their whole bodies are the width of a pencil tip and contain only 302 neurons. These nematodes live out their two-week-long lifespans in rotting vegetation, eating bacteria, and avoiding predators. However, C. elegans does not always live such a simplistic lifestyle. Under environmental stress—such as when overcrowding leads to lack of food—these creatures can switch into survival mode, halting aging for months and attempting to hitch a ride to a new location by attaching to other animals.