Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Harnessing the superpowers of the most resilient life form on Earth
Tardigrades are half a millimeter long, eight-legged invertebrates, animals
without a backbone, like butterflies, bees, ants, and snails. They have chubby,
segmented bodies with four pairs of stout, clawed legs, and live almost
anywhere across the globe, including mountaintops, tropical forests, the
Antarctic, and the deep sea. They primarily feed on plant cells, algae, and
other microorganisms. What is amazing about this tiny creature is its
survivability. Tardigrades can endure extreme temperatures, from nearly absolute
zero to above the boiling point, survive without oxygen or water, and withstand
substantial radiation in space or high acid in hot springs. One of the tricks of
their extreme survivability in dry conditions is suspended animation, which
slows their metabolism down to 0.01% of its normal rate for as long as decades
until they have contact with water. Tardigrades are thought to outlive humans, mice,
and cockroaches and survive even on Doomsday.
Read the article and learn about the most survivable creature on Earth.
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