Made My Day: The Tardigrade

When I saw this image on National Geographic at first I thought it was a manatee outfitted in some kind of anti-boat-propellor suit. The text, however, described it as a "color-enhanced electron microscope photo" of a microscopic invertebrate called a tardigrade.

Now National Geographic is inherently reliable, trustworthy as one's own mother. Maybe more so (I don't know your mother) but I still couldn't wrap my mind around this creature being real.

Well! Not only is the tardigrade real - it's quite the jet-setter. It's a member of a class of called extremophiles who are able to live in extreme conditions, "like an ice cap" says Merriam-Webster and the BBC's Emma Brennand reports that the 'water bear' as it's commonly known, is the "hardiest animal on earth" and has repeatedly journeyed into space.

It also has it's own Cafe Press page, a propaganda poster, a newsletter....you can even get a little tardigrade sweater.

Bottom line: At a half-milimeter long (1/64th of an inch) the Tardigrade is better branded and more well-traveled than I am.

Maybe I should go try to invent that manatee suit....


Color photo Eye of Science/Science Source via National Geographic
Tardigrade Don't Care t-shirt by Red Bubble


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