Water Bears—The Most Extreme Animals on The Planet (And in Space!)

Abstract

Can you imagine that there is an eight-legged bear that tolerates colder temperatures than the polar bears do in the Arctic? Can you imagine that this bear is able to grow older than the grizzly bears in North America? And can you imagine that this bear grows by molting, like spiders or snakes? These so-called water bears, scientifically named tardigrades, are the most extreme animals on our planet. They not only survive in ice, but also in boiling water. Moreover, they can stop breathing for long periods and they have even traveled to outer space, surviving without an astronaut’s suit. Since water bears can withstand the harshest conditions on earth and beyond, they may teach us how we can protect ourselves from extreme environmental conditions.