IG/Siberian Times Dr Anatoli Brouchkov claims he has found the secret to immortality

Chemist Anatoli Brouchkov says he has taken on superhuman abilities since giving himself a dose of the 3.5-million-year-old bacteria. The microscopic organisms, which were discovered in the Siberian permafrost, began their lives a million years before the first human beings evolved. Some scientists believe that their ability to regenerate cells could hold the key to a raft of miracle cures, even including one for death itself.

Dr Brouchkov, the head of the Geocryology Department at Moscow State University, first injected himself with the bacteria two years ago. He claims he has not had flu since, and that he has also been able to work harder and longer without getting tired.

Siberian Times The bacteria have survived for 3.5 million years

He said: "I started to work longer, I've never had a flu for the last two years. "After successful experiments on mice and fruit flies, I thought it would be interesting to try the inactivated bacterial culture. "If we can find how the bacteria stays alive we probably would be able to find a tool to extend our own lives." The bacteria, named Bacillus F, has remained alive in permafrost for millions of years. It was discovered by Dr Brouchkov in 2009. He claims trace amounts of it can be found in Siberia's tap water supplies, which he says could explain why people from the region live longer lives.

He said: "The permafrost is thawing, and I guess these bacteria get into the environment, into the water, so the local population, the Yakut people, in fact, for a long time are getting these cells with water, and even seem to live longer than some other nations. So there was no danger for me. "But we do not know yet exactly how it works. Perhaps there were some side-effects, but there should be some special medical equipment to spot them. "Of course, such experiments need to be conducted in clinic, with the special equipment and statistics. "Then we could say clearly about all the effects."

Siberian Times Dr Brouchkov says he has not had the flu since injecting himself with the germs

I started to work longer, I've never had a flu for the last two years Dr Anatoli Brouchkov

Scientists have already experimented on animals with the bacteria, with results showing it has miracle properties which can boost fertility. In one test female mice injected with Bacillus F were able to have babies after their reproductive processes had shut down. In another, the bacteria appeared to help plants heal themselves. Epidemiologist Dr Viktor Chernyavsky called the discovery of the bacteria a "scientific sensation", adding that it could probe to be the "elixir of life". He said: "The bacteria gives out biologically active substances throughout its life, which activates the immune status of experimental animals."

The bacteria was discovered in ancient permafrost at a site known as Mammoth Mountain in Siberia. It was also found in the brain of an woolly mammoth carcass preserved in the ice. Scientists claim that a third strain of ancient bacteria is capable of eliminating cellulose molecules. Dr Brouchkov said: "We want to understand the mechanisms of the protection of genome, the functioning of the genes. "The key question is what provides the vitality of this bacteria, but it is as complicated as which human genes are responsible for cancer and how to cure it. "This bacteria was isolated from the outer world in ice, so we are quite sure that this bacteria was kept in the permafrost for such a long time.

GETTY The bacteria have had astonishing effects on mice in lab tests