Tardigrades Turn To Glass When Dried Out

Plants and Animals





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Tardigrades are tiny creatures capable of surviving almost anything. Now we're learning how they combat one of their fiercest enemies - loss of water. Darron Birgenheier via Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0

Tardigrades, also known as water bears, are the ultimate survivors. They can handle everything from the vacuum of space to 600 times the normal atmospheric pressure. And new research is revealing how they manage one of their party tricks, turning to glass when there is not enough water to maintain normal life processes.