The tardigrade seems to be here to stay
Before last night, I had never heard of the creature known as a tardigrade. But once I came across it, I still could hardly believe it existed.
I think you can see why just by looking at it:
Yes, that really exists. It may help to know that it’s teeny tiny, anywhere between 0.05 millimeters and 1.2 mm (0.002 to 0.05 inches) long.
And it’s nearly indestructible – to a science-fictionish degree:
Research has found that tardigrades can withstand environments as cold as minus 328 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 200 Celsius) or highs of more than 300 degrees F (148.9 C), according to Smithsonian magazine. They can also survive radiation, boiling liquids, massive amounts of pressure of up to six times the pressure of the deepest part of the ocean and even the vacuum of space without any protection. A 2008 study published in the journal Current Biology found that some species of tardigrade could survive 10 days at low Earth orbit while being exposed to a space vacuum and radiation.
In fact, water bears [a nickname for tardigrades] could survive after humanity is long gone, researchers found. Scientists from Harvard and Oxford universities looked at the probabilities of certain astronomical events — Earth-pummeling asteroids, nearby supernova blasts and gamma-ray bursts, to name a few — over the next billions of years. Then, they looked at how likely it would be for those events to wipe out Earth’s hardiest species. And while such catastrophic events would likely wipe out humans, the researchers found little tardigrades would survive most of them…
“To our surprise, we found that although nearby supernovas or large asteroid impacts would be catastrophic for people, tardigrades could be unaffected,” David Sloan, a co-author of the new study and researcher at Oxford, said in a statement. “Therefore, it seems that life, once it gets going, is hard to wipe out entirely. Huge numbers of species, or even entire genera may become extinct, but life as a whole will go on.”…
In many conditions, they survive by going into an almost death-like state called cryptobiosis. They curl into a dehydrated ball, called a tun, by retracting their head and legs. If reintroduced to water, the tardigrade can come back to life in just a few hours.
While in cryptobiosis, tardigrades’ metabolic activity gets as low as 0.01 percent of normal levels, and their organs are protected by a sugary gel called trehalose…
In cold temperatures, they form into a special tun that prevents the growth of ice crystals.
…When the water they live in is low on oxygen, they will stretch out and allow their metabolic rate to reduce. In this state, their muscles absorb oxygen and water well enough that they can survive.
In 2016, scientists revived two tuns and an egg that had been in cryptobiosis for more than 30 years.
A lot more at the link.
Even though tardigrades are animals, their adaptability reminds me of this song about a certain plant. A fictional plant, as it turns out, but a versatile one:
Hum. Today’s interesting news from Instapundit (https://pjmedia.com/instapundit/352835/) reads: “LUCKILY, WE’RE OUTSIDE THE “KILL ZONE.” Betelgeuse Looks Fainter Than Usual. Could It Mean It’s About to Go Supernova?”
… and the comments are all in the vein of “Oh Noooosss! We’re all gonna die!!!”
Seems like your Tardigrades will be alright, though.
Reminds me of a monster from the “Yellow Submarine” movie.
There was a recent tardigrades controversy. Last April an Israeli lunar lander crashed into the moon (not the plan) and spilled dehyrdrated tardigrades onto surface. They would have to be rehydrated to live — if you call that living — so unless that happens they are no threat to contaminate the moon.
Thank you, Neo, for bringing Flanders and Swann to your readers’ attention. They wrote both lyrics and music, which I have stashed away on CDs on which their voices can be heard some 70 years later. Those CDs are still available on Amazon. They must be treasured as reminders of what post-WWII Western civilization was like! Check out “The Gnu” and “Robachevsky was His Name”.
“And who deserves the credit? And who deserves the blame?
Nikolai Ivanovich … … Blohblohcevskry beez hiz name, Ai!
Apollogeeon-ions to Monsieur Lehrer.
Now into the mud with us.
It is good to know the very odd tardigrades are so tiny, otherwise I would have keep my Mauser close at hand. 😉
I don’t want to appear anti-science, but it appears to me the photo you showed of the tardigrade is showing his (or her) (or Xi) south end — not it’s face. Unless it’s Cyclopean.
south end — not it’s face.
Nope, sure ‘nough, that’s its mug. They’s gots no eyes, but mouth aplenty.
“Scientists from Harvard and Oxford universities looked at the probabilities of certain astronomical events — Earth-pummeling asteroids, nearby supernova blasts and gamma-ray bursts, to name a few — over the next billions of years.”
Well, humanity doesn’t have to concern itself about earth past another 1 or 2 billion years. You see, the sun is rather old, and while it will exist for another several billion years, it won’t survive in a state that is very useful to us.
Here is an excerpt from “What is the lifecycle of the sun?”
TommyJay:
1.1 BILLION YEARS? (Insert mandatory joke about AOS’ end of the earth prediction.)
F:
It’s the face.
Cicero:
I was fortunate enough to see Flanders and Swann in person several times when I was young. I knew all their songs, too, because we had their records.
But “Lobachevsky” is Tom Lehrer’s song. We had all his records, too.
F,
You mean AOC? Yeah, I think her target date is about 11 years out, so I got the right mantissa, but the wrong exponent by 8 powers of ten.
_____
That is an amazing photo of the tardigrade. I know I’ve seen a giant version of it in a movie or something, and I don’t believe it was Yellow Submarine.
Cicero: “ They must be treasured as reminders of what post-WWII Western civilization was like!”
I passed 70 a year or so ago and it seems to have been some kind of milestone for me in the kind of awareness you suggest. I’m really, really conscious of the fact that mid-20-th century society is a lost world for the majority of people now. Many things have changed for the better since I was a child, but much has been lost. And younger people don’t know that.
‘Index I copy from old Vladivostok telephone directory.’
And yep, tardigrades rank up with cockroaches and Keith Richards.
TommyJay I think your talking about this flick.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harbinger_Down
Here’s the Sucking Monster from “Yellow Sumbmarine”:
https://www.amazon.com/Beatles-Submarine-Sucking-Monster-McFarlane/dp/B00004TDSG
Not as close as I thought, but it does have a bulky torso and prominent circular mouth.
The Sucking Monster sucks up the Yellow Submarine, then the world and finally itself. The Yellow Submarine pops back into a blank white background, the Sea of Nothing, where they meet Jeremy Boob, the Nowhere Man.
Back in the days when the Beatles could do no wrong until they made the Magical Mystery Tour film and founded Apple Corps Ltd.
The little Tardigrade is a cutie. I have no problem with him representing life on earth after we’re gone. Never heard of Flanders & Swann or Tom Lehrer before. Lehrer is a very clever writer/composer but so depressing. Very interesting YouTube-ing their performances. Thanks.
Gosh! Looks like they’ll survive a trip through the mail in an envelope until they’re “re-hydrated”.
The PERFECT COMPANIONS (predator or prey) for your Sea Monkeys in that special aquarium!
Scary looking creature. Even in miniature. Yikes!
Parker, respect the mauser. But have you thought about adding an M1 Garand to your collection. Whatever you choose. Their are a lot bigger critters than thst.
Forums.cmp.org
Your country will sell you a Garand. Which General Patton called the finest battle implement ever created. Your government wants you to have guns. Is this not the best country in the world? But do it fast before the Democrats find out.
I believe they still have Enfields. I actually have more infantry training than your average Sailor. I won’t go into why. I can offer an informed opinion on firearms. When the 8888 hits the fan nothing nothing is better than the Garand. The M16 works ok. The M14 wasn’t much of an improvement
The Navy didn’t seem to care what sidearms we carried we carried back during the Gulf War. Maybe it puts me in danger to talk about it. Maybe there were rules. I don’t know. But the guys in squadron their Glocks, their Sigs, what.have you. I chose the Colt M1911 Combat Elite. At the time 45 acp.ammo was still in the supply system.
I love that pistol.
My Pedesoli Howdah Hunter muzzle loading 20 gauge double barrel pistol is competi with the Colt for my affections.
The way I see.it if I can’t get the job done with two 60 plus caliber round balls I am probably too lame to.live.
Mausers, I have an 1889 7.65 Mauser that will outshoot a lot of current military firearms, I also shoot the 6.5 Swede, 7mm Mauser, 1903 Springfield in 30-06 which is a Mauser and a .303 Enfield with excellent bore and maybe a few other interesting things that shoot bullets. Here we are 130 years later and the basic technology which goes even further back to the 1870’s with brass center fire ammo like my 45-70 from 1873 and could cause lethal injuries over 3,500 yards and with aimed fire bring down a horse at 600 yards.
All firearms are lethal and modern firearms which some people have that are over one hundred years old are extremely effective and with minimal care they never wear out. That being said, in my home state of Texas where some do carry guns to church including mine a mass shooting was avoided, being stopped at one death when the gun man was taken out with a single shot 6 seconds after he fired his first shot and he was the second death and it stopped him cold from killing a lot of unarmed Christians who were in their worship service. A good person with a gun can be a good thing at the right place and the right time.
Neo,
I’m amazed that you’d be taken in by such an obviously Jim-Henson-inspired creation.
Clearly created out of stuffed tan canvas, with a gear for a mouth and a bunch of grapes, shot on Culver’s back lot when they were done filming for the Moon Landing Hoax. And they had the nerve to rip off the poor thing’s hands. Tsk tsk tsk.
😆
Seriously, that is amazing. I’ve never heard of it before (which only proves it’s a hoax). Thanks!
. . .
Hey, people! Get it right!: BOLACHEVSKY !!! 😆 😆 😆
(Although as somebody said before, “Math is hard.” 😀 )
They really aren’t small at all
they just all
choose to reside
on the other side
of the Earth. 🙂
A cross between a manatee and a vacuum cleaner, with a face only a mother could love….
(And given NNC’s popularity, what are the chances we’ll be seeing one floating down CPW in next year’s Macy’s TGD parade…)
Barry Meislin:
Yes, I thought “vacuum cleaner bag with claws” myself.
Truly an amazing and science-fictiony creature.
I think they’re the inspiration for the inhabitants of the planet in the Alpha Centauri system in The Three Body Problem