The Most Resilient Animals in the Universe
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| Tardigrade | organism |
* In 1702, nearly 320 years back, a Dutch Scientist wrote a letter to the Royal Society of London. In which he stated that he found an awesome organism and that it had been dead for 20 to 30 years. it was revived once it came in contact with water. Later in 1773, Johann August did more research on it He collected the fossils ageing nearly 53 crore years of that organism.
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| Tardigrade |
* They named the organism as "Tardigrade". Tardigrade means slow walker - an organism that walks slowly. What did we find out in this organism in the past 320 years. There is an enduring research about this organism. The reason behind the research on this organism is its "Survival of the fittest" nature. 100 degree Celsius is the boiling point of water. All the micro organisms and bacteria in the water would be killed at this temperature.
* This organism can survive even at 150 degree Celsius. It survives even if you boil it in water for more than fifteen minutes. It can survive even the freezing temperatures in the Antarctica and the Arctic regions up-to 273 degree Celsius below zero. Due to heat withstanding capacity it is found in the volcanoes. Not only temperature it has got even pressure withstanding capabilities. It is also found under high pressure areas. It is also found in Mariana Trench the deepest sea and also the one with most pressure. (Video).
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| space where is no air |
* Additionally it was also sent to space to check its survival in vacuum (space where is no air). Shockingly it survived there also. Is this creature from Earth or from any other planet? If you are finding it difficult to pronounce, you can call it as water bear. The reason behind the name is that it moves like a bear.
Can we see it with the naked eye?
* No we cannot as it ranges from 0.1 mm to 1.5 mm It has eight legs, one small face and a small mouth in it. Its mouth is extendable as it can move it in and out.
How does it survive without food and water?
* ANHYDROBIOSIS is the process by which it survives. In Greek it (ANHYDROBIOSIS) means life without water It is achieved by going into the TUN state. TUN meaning curling its body and going into a dormant mode.
Conservation mode
* In this mode it does not spend its body energy. At this time a synthesised molecule, and an anti freeze material something similar for glycerol is formed. It spreads throughout its body and repairs the areas like cell degeneration, DNA degeneration. In case we die or if we don't get water, our metabolism stops and our cells are damaged. At this point of time this special molecule spreads and stops this damage. Without food and water, once in the TUN mode it can stop its metabolism to 99.9% . At this stage you are almost dead but your cells, protein, DNA all are protected. That is why, it goes into TUN mode if it does not get food. It revives itself once it comes in contact with water after being carried away by the winds. In 1948, an Italian zoologist noted a 120 year old dead Tartigrade, moving its legs once it came in contact with water.
Very astonishing right?
* In 2007, 2008 the European space agency sent 3000 Tartigrades to space. After travelling on the Earth's lower orbit for ten days, it returned to Earth. The scientists thought that it would be great if at least 10 % of them survived it would be great. To their astonishment 67% of them survived.
* You have 1000 times more severe UV rays in space. and it is very difficult for organisms like this to survive. The reason behind its survival was a special protein called "Damage suppressor". It had reduced the damage by 40% with this special protein.
* This 40% is equivalent to 1000 times X-ray damage to other organisms. This Tartigrade had this special type of protection. Why do we study these Tartigrades. Why is its research progressing even after 300 years.
What is its use?
* We do have many benefits. Now this "Survival of the Fittest" can teach us many things. For example: We can use its reviving capacity after 30 to 40 years to prolong the validity of the vaccines. Next we use it for stress tolerant crop. A crop that withstands the climatic changes, Earth's temperature changes. The method in which it evolves itself after so many years. The astronauts learn to protect themselves from the UV rays from this organism. I think you wish to see these Tartigrades. As I already told you they live in the Himalayas, Antarctica, under the sea, marsh lands and rain forests.
* If you wish to see these organisms, collect a tree bark, algae or some plant parts and put in water for some time. Then filter the water and examine it under a microscope. In case if it is in a trans state and revived or if it is already alive you will be able to see it.
If you continue doing this you will get a better chance.
Good Luck
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