Secrets of the world's toughest creatures revealed (BBC)
By Sarah Gabbott
Science writer
28 July 2017
From the section Science & Environment
Genetic analyses of tardigrades has revealed some of the secrets of their incredible survival abilities.
These tiny creatures, sometimes called water bears, can survive radiation, freezing, extreme dehydration and even the vacuum of space.
Researchers have now decoded the DNA of two species of tardigrade and uncovered the genes that allow them to be revived after desiccation.
The study has been published in the journal, PLOS Biology.
Just a millimetre or less in size, tardigrades are believed to be the toughest creatures on Earth. A recent study found that they could survive almost any cosmic disaster that could hit the planet.
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more: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-40752669
http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.2002266
= new reply since forum marked as read
if it does the right thing, might consider naming itself the "Washington Tardigrades!"
That should strike fear into the hearts of competitors, especially when they see the emblem on their helmets, and their mascot, a colossal Tardigrade!
Who can grasp the thought that these Tardigrades actually survive trips out of and back into Earth's atmosphere, on rockets?
