TARDIGRADES
THE TOUGH & TINY EXTREMOPHILES
Tardigrades, also known as water bears or moss piglets, are fascinating micro-animals that have captured the attention of scientists and the public alike. Tardigrades are believed to have been on earth for about 600 million years which precedes the dinosaurs by about 400 million years.
Tardigrades are tiny creatures, measuring between 0.1 and 1.5 millimeters in length (The latter being the largest adults in some species). They are found in almost every environment on Earth, from the deepest oceans to the highest mountains.
One of the most remarkable features of tardigrades is their incredible resilience. They are able to survive extreme conditions that would kill most other living organisms. This means Tardigrades are extremophiles meaning they can survive in environments of extreme temperatures, high pressure, acidic or alkaline conditions, high radiation, and even the vacuum of space.
For example, they can survive in temperatures as low as -272 degrees Celsius, close to absolute zero, and in temperatures as high as 151 degrees Celsius. They can also survive in the vacuum of space and can withstand pressures that are 6 times greater than those found in the deepest part of the ocean.
Scientists have discovered that tardigrades have several mechanisms that enable them to survive these extreme conditions. For example, they are able to enter a state of suspended animation, known as cryptobiosis, in which their metabolism slows down to almost zero. They also have a protective outer layer that prevents them from drying out, and they can repair their DNA when it becomes damaged.
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