Wildlife

Mar. 6th, 2026 01:48 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Water bears on Mars: Tardiguardians of the Galaxy?

Tardigrades – also known as water bears – are tiny animals about 1 mm or less in size. They’re known for being able to survive in extreme environments.
Tardigrades can survive in simulated Martian regolith, researchers found … if you rinse it with water first.
Future astronauts could use tardigrades to help grow plants and survive in habitats on Mars.



Tardigrades are interesting little extremophiles. They can survive a wide array of harsh conditions, such as radiation and starvation. Some live in desolate conditions; others live in warm, green places hence their nickname "moss bears." This implies that they excel at colonizing harsh terrain, but they can also take advantage of better conditions. They're about as close to indestructible as life on Earth has gotten. So it makes sense to take them along for space exploration.


(no subject)

Date: 2026-03-06 07:59 pm (UTC)
greghousesgf: (Boingboing)
From: [personal profile] greghousesgf
yeah, I've seen those little buggers through a microscope. Never understood why anybody would call them "bears", though.

Re: Thoughts

Date: 2026-03-06 08:08 pm (UTC)
greghousesgf: (pic#17096873)
From: [personal profile] greghousesgf
Never heard that one.

(no subject)

Date: 2026-03-07 05:10 am (UTC)
cornerofmadness: (Default)
From: [personal profile] cornerofmadness
These little guys never cease to amaze me

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