SURVIVE AND THRIVE - The Earth is home to many living creatures of sizes big and small. Some, unfortunately, has succumbed to extinction while others evolved and continued to thrive.
The Earth has gone through five mass extinctions to date but there is one type of microscopic animal that stands out in terms of surviving. These are the tardigrades. These creatures are more commonly known as water bears and their indestructibility is nothing short of amazing.
In fact, the way water bears were able to go through extreme weather, radiation, or even being sent to outer space and live on afterward became a beacon of hope for the military forces of the United States to better understand "toughness."
Tardigrades have been studied by many scientists over the years and they have found out that these micro-animals were able to survive a waterless environment, more so an environment that lacks oxygen. Some experiments even involved exposure to radiation but the water bears still came out strong at the end of the tests.
Scientists credit their resilience to their unique biology where they curl up as their survival instincts kick in. This hyper-survival mode is called "cryptobiosis." They eventually dry out and wait. As the environment they are in improves and becomes habitable once more, they get hydrated and go on with life. The water bears can stay in dormancy for decades and would still be able to spring back to life.
In an experiment held by scientists in 2007, two species of tardigrades were launched into an orbit where they were exposed to dropping temperatures, airless space, and heap loads of radiation from stars and the sun. Tardigrade expert and biologist at Baker University in Kansas, Randy Miller stated that humans would not survive such punishment. Whereas, the tardigrade astronauts lived and have already multiplied.
Even if not all water bears could reanimate after going dormant, there are still 1,200 species of the microscopic animals and they thrive anywhere on Earth from mountain tops to oceans, rivers to grasslands, and even on common driveways and parks.
Byron Adams, a biologist from Brigham Young University, termed tardigrades as tigers of inland Antarctica. The water bears consume algae and aquatic plants. They currently rank near the top of the food chain.
Scientists are looking into ways to incorporate the qualities of water bears to different beneficial functions like dehydrating human blood and vaccines to preserve and prolong its usability beyond just six weeks. Other studies involve genetic engineering to help crops survive droughts and better sunscreen that could fight off ultraviolet rays.
