Tardigrades: The World's Toughest Critters

The humble water bear has been the subject of some pretty nasty experiments lately. Scientists have boiled them in pure alcohol, exposed them to pressures six times greater then on the deepest ocean floor, and even frozen them to near absolute zero.

"Why?" I hear you cry. Well, scientists are testing the limits of the toughest creatures on Earth, with an incredible ability to survive the harshest conditions we can dream up. These little guys are more impressive endurance artists than David Blaine, and better survivors then even the mighty Ray Mears.

In September 2008 a crew of water bears were subjected to the most imaginative test yet; they were launched into orbit and exposed to the intense radiation and frigid vacuum of space before returning to Earth. Many were found to have survived the trip intact, and produced healthy offspring as though they had just been on vacation.

Introducing the Water Bear...

Water bears (also known as tardigrades) are arguably the cutest microscopic invertebrates ever discovered. They are short and plump with eight podgy legs and a smooth "gummy bear" complexion. They walk with big, lumbering strides and each foot has up to eight claws. Their mouse-like snout contains a tube which they use as a drinking straw to pierce their food and suck nutrients like out of a juice carton.

They are usually less then 1.5 mm long, so can only just be seen with the naked eye, but photos taken using microscopes reveal them to be a vivid red colour.

Although not many people have heard of them, these fantastic beasts actually live among us; in fact there is probably a water bear within 10 meters of you right now! These tough little creatures have been found all over the globe, from 6000m high in the Himalayas to depths of 4000m at the bottom of our oceans. Scientists have studied them on hot sand dunes at the equator, and 5m below the ice in Antarctica. Although they are known to inhabit some of the most extreme environments on Earth, they are happiest living on damp moss. They are aquatic animals and thrive in lakes, ponds, and moist patches in stone walls and roofs.

Just what makes them tougher than Clint Eastwood? Read on to find out more....