The
Incredible Tardigrade
Tardigrades,
often referred to as water bears or moss piglets,
are fascinating tiny creatures that belong to a phylum
of eight-legged segmented micro-animals. They measure
only 0.1 mm to 1.2 mm in length.
These resilient organisms thrive in
aquatic environments, favoring freshwater mosses
and
lichens, but they can also inhabit diverse
settings, including the deep sea and sandy
dunes. Tardigrades can withstand extreme
conditions, such as extreme cold, boiling liquids,
high levels of radiation, and extreme pressure.
Tardigrades have an incredible ability to enter
a state
known as cryptobiosis, allowing them to pause
their metabolism and survive for over 30 years.
Tardigrades primarily consume
fluids from living cells, though they will
occasionally
feast on other minute creatures. Tardigrades
reproduce by laying eggs through a process
called oviparity,
with
fertilization
typically
occurring outside the body.
Tardigrades: Fact or Fiction?
Tardigrades are fascinating
and tough little creatures that could outlive
humanity. They
have
survived all five mass extinction events and
are thought to be able to survive
future ones caused by gamma-ray bursts or large
meteorite impacts. |