THE WORLD WEIRDEST ONE MILLIMETER ANIMAL ON EARTH : TARDIGRADE
Have seen something like this Before ? Tardigrade is one of the most toughest creature on the Planet.
Without
water, a human can only survive for about hours. But there’s a creature so
resilient that it can go without it for decades. This one millimeter animal can
survive both the hottest,and coldest
environments on Earth,and can even withstand high levels of radiation. This is
the tardigrade,and it’s one of the toughest creatures on Earth,even if it does
look more like a chubby, eight-legged gummy bear.Most organisms need water to
survive. Water allows metabolism to occur, which is the process that drives all
the biochemical reactions . that take
place in cells .But creatures like the
tardigrade, also known as the water bear, get around this restriction with a
process called anhydrobiosis, from the
Greek meaning life without water .And
however extraordinary, tardigrades are alone.Bacteria, single-celled organisms
called archaea, .plants, .and even other animals can all survive drying
up.For many tardigrades,. this requires that they go through something called a
tun state.
They curl up into a ball, .
pulling their head and eight legs inside their body .and
wait until water returns. It’s thought that as water becomes scarce.and
tardigrades enter their tun state,. they synthesize special molecules, . which fill the tardigrades cells to replace
lost water .by forming a matrix.Components
of the cells that are sensitive to dryness,. like DNA, proteins, and
membranes,. get trapped in this matrix.Its thought that this keeps these
molecules locked in position .to stop
them from unfolding, .breaking apart, .or fusing together.Once the organism is
rehydrated, the matrix dissolves, .leaving
behind undamaged, functional cells.Beyond dryness, tardigrades can also
tolerate other extreme stresses .being
frozen, .heated up past the boiling
point of water, .high levels of
radiation, .and even the vacuum of
outer space.This has led to some erroneous speculation .that tardigrades are extraterrestrial beings.While
that’s fun to think about, . scientific
evidence places their origin firmly on Earth .
Where they’ve evolved over time.In fact, this earthly evolution has given rise .to over known species of tardigrades .and there are probably many others yet to be
discovered.And because tardigrades are so hardy, they exist just about
everywhere.They live on every continent, including Antarctica.And they’re in
diverse biomes including deserts,. ice sheets, .
the sea, . fresh water, . rainforests, .and
the highest mountain peaks.But you can find tardigrades in the most ordinary
places, too,. like moss or lichen found in yards, .
parks, .and forests.All you need to
find them is a little patience and a microscope.Scientists are now to trying to
find out whether tardigrades use the tun state,.their anti-drying technique,to
survive other stresses.If we can understand how they, and other creatures,.
stabilize their sensitive biological molecules, .
perhaps we could apply this knowledge to help us stabilize vaccines, . or to develop stress-tolerant crops that can
cope with Earths changing climate.And by studying how tardigrades survive .prolonged exposure to the vacuum of outer
space, . scientists can generate clues
about the environmental limits of life .And
how to safeguard astronauts.In the process, tardigrades could even help us
answer a critical question. could life survive on planets much less hospitable
than our own.?
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