Tardigrade (Water Bears)

Hey guys,
Todays post is about the elusive micro animal called the Tardigrade or more commonly known as the water bear.

Tardigrade

Water bears are water dwelling, eight-legged, micro animals which are found everywhere from mountaintops to deep sea and from tropical rain forests to the Antarctic. 

Their most notorious trait is that they are one of the most resilient animals known. They can survive extreme conditions which most animals may deem fatal

These conditions include:

• Supernovae
• Gamma-ray birsts
• meteorite impacts
• absolute zero temperatures
• Outer space

Here are some interesting videos highlighting the water bear:

Extra Facts:

• Although Waterbears can withstand extreme conditions, they cannot survive them for a prolonged period of time
• They sometimes are cannibalistic in nature
• Water bears are the first known animal to survive in space

-Joelle