Tardigrades

Tardigrades, also known as water bears, are microscopic creatures known for their resilience. They are eight-legged invertebrates often found in moss, lichens, and freshwater environments. Tardigrades can survive extreme conditions, including high and low temperatures, radiation, dehydration, and even the vacuum of space. They achieve this by entering a dormant state called cryptobiosis, where they lose almost all water content and suspend their metabolic functions. When conditions become favorable, they rehydrate and resume activity. Their remarkable survival skills have made them a focus of scientific research into extremophiles and potential applications in medicine and space exploration.