Tardigrade 
Also known as the water-bear or moss piglet, “tardigrade” means “slow walker”. They’re extremophiles who can survive in damn near every condition, even though they prefer mossy and swampy wet places. If they have to, they can survive the vacuum of space (!), temperatures near absolute zero, temperatures of nearly 300 degrees, a decade without water, and when exposed to over 1000 times more radiation than other animals that have been tested.
If anything is going to survive an apocalypse and take over the world, it won’t be those big ol’ roaches. It’ll be these guys.
Marvels of Pond-Life; or, a Year’s Microscopic Recreations among the Polyps, Infusoria, Rotifers, Water-Bears, and Polyzoa. Henry J. Slack, 1841.
(A great and colorfully written book, by the way)

Tardigrade 

Also known as the water-bear or moss piglet, “tardigrade” means “slow walker”. They’re extremophiles who can survive in damn near every condition, even though they prefer mossy and swampy wet places. If they have to, they can survive the vacuum of space (!), temperatures near absolute zero, temperatures of nearly 300 degrees, a decade without water, and when exposed to over 1000 times more radiation than other animals that have been tested.

If anything is going to survive an apocalypse and take over the world, it won’t be those big ol’ roaches. It’ll be these guys.

Marvels of Pond-Life; or, a Year’s Microscopic Recreations among the Polyps, Infusoria, Rotifers, Water-Bears, and Polyzoa. Henry J. Slack, 1841.

(A great and colorfully written book, by the way)

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  1. zachy-poo reblogged this from biomedicalephemera
  2. captainhowdyinspace reblogged this from pastorofmuppets
  3. pastorofmuppets reblogged this from biomedicalephemera and added:
    “Slow walker” eh?
  4. wanderingcell reblogged this from biomedicalephemera
  5. kazuma-kuwahara reblogged this from oscarswilde
  6. trelobita reblogged this from idol-hands and added:
    Anyone ever notice how every single name these little guys are known by is ADORABLE??? XD And they are actually cute if...
  7. oscarswilde reblogged this from idol-hands
  8. idol-hands reblogged this from biomedicalephemera
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  12. superchalmers reblogged this from oldmanyellsatcloud and added:
    Water-Bears are pretty amazing
  13. oldmanyellsatcloud reblogged this from biomedicalephemera
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  15. themadsquirrel09 reblogged this from zebeck
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  18. crocognaw reblogged this from zebeck
  19. museumofsmallthings reblogged this from biomedicalephemera and added:
    I’ve never heard them being called...“moss piglet”. Fck that’s cute!
  20. justanothernumb3r reblogged this from biomedicalephemera