Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe Can tardigrades survive on the Moon?
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Jan 23, 2025 Discover the remarkable resilience of tardigrades, the tiny critters that can thrive in extreme conditions. Explore how they might have survived after a spacecraft crash-landed on the Moon. Dive into the fascinating biology behind their unique survival strategies, including cryptobiosis and their incredible ability to withstand radiation. The discussion humorously tackles misconceptions about these 'water bears' and ponders their implications for extraterrestrial life. It's a wild ride through the extraordinary capabilities of the toughest little creatures on Earth!
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Tardigrades' Extraordinary Resilience
- Tardigrades are incredibly resilient microscopic creatures with over 1,300 species exhibiting diverse abilities.
- They survive extreme temperature, pressure, radiation, vacuum, and desiccation unlike almost any other animal.
Multiple Survival Mechanisms Exist
- The trehalose sugar glass theory partly explains how some tardigrades survive desiccation.
- However, many species lack trehalose, suggesting multiple unknown protective mechanisms.
Radiation Shielding Protein Coat
- Tardigrades produce intrinsically disordered proteins that coat and shield their DNA from radiation damage.
- This protein coating significantly reduces DNA breaks caused by high-energy radiation.