Tardigrades – Toughest Animal that Survives Billion Years

Ecosystem is filled with amazed species of animals. We have not seen and come in contact with all of them. For us, a bird always flies, a fish always lives in water and soon. We do not even take our imagination beyond the basic knowledge that is imparted to us in our childhood.

We always ignore many things which stops us in knowing the secret of the life. We think its the tortoise that survives most of the years in the life. What if someone tells you there there is someone who can survive billion of years!!!. Would you believe it?

Yes, the scientific research says there is a living being who can live billion of years and perhaps the maximum living years animal also. These creatures are known as “Tardigrades”.

Who are Tardigrades?

Tardigrades are nearly microscopic animals which are often known as water bears. These eight-legged animals have long and plump body like piglets.

These animals have some uncommon features which are very rare to find in the nature. They can survive  very high temperatures and can live for many decades. There are over 1, 000 species known of Tardigrade so far.

Tardigrades are considered as the most indestructible creäture as it can survive for millions years under any climatic conditions.

The size of Tardigrades vary from .05 millimeters to 1.2 mm long.

Where are Tardigrades Found?

Tardigrades can be found anywhere on earth. But they prefer to live at the bottom of a lake or found above the film of water. They love to live on moist places or moss or any such places where there is water.

They are found almost everywhere as they can withstand extreme cold and hot temperatures.

They can withstand temperature more than 300 degrees and  minus 200 celsius also at the same time.  That means they can bear boiling water and polar temperature simultaneously. Due to this the surviving rates of this creature is very high as compared to others, and can adapt to any situation.

6 Unique Characteristics of Tardigrades

1. Tardigrades are also known as space bears of moss piglets
2. Tardigrades are eight-legged microscopic animals
3. They are found almost everywhere but prefer moist or wet surface
4. They live for million of years, that means they can survive even after the sun dies
5. They can survive for up-to 30 years without food or water
6. Tardigrades can withstand very high and frozen temperatures

Why Tardigrades are so Tough?

Tardigrades are invertebrate animals an considered the most toughest of all the living creatures on earth so fat. They are but indestructible only when they enter cryptobiosis. This is a special state that enables them to live under extreme conditions.

Under very harsh conditions, Tardigrades just pull their legs and expel all moisture from the bodies and called tuns in this state. When they are in this condition of tuns, they secrete trehalose which is a sugar with preservation properties. When this sugar crystallizes, tardigrades become very strong with a glass suit of armor and reduces metabolism by 99.99 percent.

Can no one Destroy Tardigrades?

From above it seems that no one can destroy tardigrades and they can live even after there is no life on earth. This seems to be true unless some apocalyptic even occurs that would cause oceans to boil away or some asteroid attack earth.

Tardigrades can live longer than Cockroaches

• It was cockroaches that were considered to be living longest on earth before Tardigrades were discovered.
• Tardigrades won the race as they can survive under water unlike cockroaches that get disturb by the impact of earth atmosphere as they live on earth surface.
• Tardigrades can wear the impact of radiations while cockroaches can not. Therefore, now Tardigrades are the living beings that would last forever as per the scientific studies.