Shall we take a moment off from the collapse of capitalism and the nerve-stretching election? Valerie sent us this quite amazing story about the tardigrades who may, one day, be masters of the universe.
“Tiny invertebrates called 'water bears' can survive in the vacuum of space, a European Space Agency experiment has shown. They are the first animals known to be able to survive the harsh combination of low pressure and intense radiation found in space. Water bears, also known as tardigrades, are known for their virtual indestructibility on Earth. The creatures can survive intense pressures, huge doses of radiation, and years of being dried out. To further test their hardiness, Ingemar Jönsson of Sweden's Kristianstad University and colleagues launched two species of dried-up tardigrades from Kazakhstan in September 2007 aboard ESA's FOTON-M3 mission, which carried a variety of experimental payloads. After 10 days of exposure to space, the satellite returned to Earth. The tardigrades were retrieved and rehydrated to test how they reacted to the airless conditions in space, as well as ultraviolet radiation from the Sun and charged particles from space called cosmic rays. The vacuum itself seemed to have little effect on the creatures. But ultraviolet radiation, which can damage cellular material and DNA, did take its toll.” Click for more.
The secret word is Triffid
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3 comments:
They look so much cuter than sea monkeys. I want one.
It looks a bit like a miniscule version of the Michelin man.
This is also one tough cookie:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deinococcus_radiodurans
I see that apparently it can "survive acid". Hmmm.
It looks like a disguised figure of a corporate capitalism. Many hands to grab all around.
My sympathy!
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