Tardigrades, Plucky Microorganisms That Can Survive in Space

Motherboard posted this fascinating video on Mike Shaw, a self-described naturalist who studies tardigrades, hardy microorganisms that can survive extreme conditions including the vacuum of space. Tardigrades (aka Water Bears or Moss Piglets) can enter a state of suspended animation—cryptobiosis—which allows them to survive temperature and pressure extremes, radiation, and other lethal conditions.

E.D.W. Lynch
E.D.W. Lynch

Writer and humor generalist on the Internet and on Facebook.