Meet the tardigrade, the toughest animal on Earth - Thomas Boothby
TED-Ed・3 minutes read
Tardigrades, also known as water bears, possess incredible resilience to survive extreme conditions through anhydrobiosis, protecting vital biological components like DNA and proteins. Scientists are researching tardigrades to glean insights into stabilizing vaccines, creating stress-tolerant crops, and exploring the potential for life to exist in harsh environments, including outer space.
Insights
- Tardigrades, also known as water bears, survive harsh conditions by entering a tun state through anhydrobiosis, synthesizing protective molecules to shield DNA and proteins.
- Scientists are researching tardigrades to unravel their molecular stability secrets, aiming to enhance vaccine stability, cultivate stress-resistant crops, and explore the possibility of life on other planets.
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Recent questions
What are tardigrades?
Microscopic resilient creatures known as water bears.
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Summary
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Resilient water bears inspire scientific breakthroughs
- Tardigrades, also known as water bears, are incredibly resilient creatures that can survive extreme conditions such as high levels of radiation, hot and cold environments, and even the vacuum of outer space. They achieve this through a process called anhydrobiosis, where they enter a tun state, synthesizing special molecules to replace lost water and protect sensitive biological components like DNA and proteins.
- Scientists are studying tardigrades to understand how they stabilize their biological molecules during extreme conditions, with the hope of applying this knowledge to stabilize vaccines, develop stress-tolerant crops, and even learn about the environmental limits of life in space, potentially answering the question of whether life could survive on less hospitable planets.
