learning! the great invincible water bear

Turns out the planet earth already has a superhero, it's just not a human.  It's called a tardigrade, also known as a water bear.


Why are these little water bears so super?  Here's what they can survive:

• Temperatures ranging from -272C to +150C
• 10 years without water (they just dry out and then rehydrate when they have water again)
• Radiation
• Space

These little buggers could provide a clue about life outside of this planet.  They may be ALIENS.  Or maybe they'll help us get off this dang rock.  Or maybe they will one day grow beyond their up-to-1mm size and destroy us all.

At the end of the day, the best thing about this is that when the European Space Agency sent them to space, the project was called TARDIS. (If you don't get that reference I feel sad for your life.  Also, watch Doctor Who.)

Source: ESA