July 2018 Issue that the title may seem a bit off, but just bear with me for a few minutes so
You know what’ s tougher than a bear? Well, I can hear you thinking like:“ Many things are tougher than a bear, an elephant for instance, or a hunter equipped with a rifle and a scope”. But, surprisingly, I’ ve got a cleverer answer. What’ s tougher than bear is a“ Water Bear”!
I can probably say that the term“ Water Bear” got you into even more confusion than before. My advice? Just read the next few lines to wear off that confusion.
Water bears, scientifically known as“ Tardigrades” are near-microscopic animals that range between 0.05 to 1.2 millimeters in length. They have 8 legs, with each leg having 4 to 8 claws. But what is it that makes them really special beings? Well, here comes the answer. Water Bears are almost indestructible and can even live in the outer space.
But with the mentioning of the word“ indestructible”, I can hear you thinking:
By: Abdurrahman ElAdl
“ To what extent?”. Well then, hear me out.
Water bears can withstand extreme temperatures as high as
150 degrees Celsius, or as low as-200 degrees Celsius. They can also withstand extreme pressure; up to 1000 times the pressure of the deepest part of the ocean. Water bears can also withstand extreme x-ray radiation up to 1000 times the human lethal dose, as well as other known severe conditions as lack of oxygen, lack of water and extreme pH of the surrounding media.
However, how exactly do they survive in these conditions? Well, their mechanism is pretty unique if you ask me. Water bears survive extreme conditions by going into a near-death state, a process called“ Cryptobiosis” in which they curl into a dehydrated ball called a“ Tun” by retracting their head and legs. They can return back to normal in a few hours if exposed to water.
It’ s also worth mentioning that during the cryptobiosis phase of the water bear’ s life, it decreases its metabolic rate to 0.01 % or even less, a metabolic rate that would normally mean instant death to every other living being.
Therefore, and with the water bears’ tremendous ability to survive through these conditions, it’ s just natural to know that till the year 2017, the water bear was never listed as an endangered animal. Even more, the number of their known species exceeded 1000 species; some of which are herbivores— feeding on algae—, while some others are strict carnivores that can even feed on each other.
So what’ s the usual habitat of these water bears? It’ s basically everywhere; given their ability to survive through almost all these extreme conditions. Atop the highest mountains and down the deepest parts of the ocean is where you can find a water bear.
Can the water bears be described by the word“ immortal”? Surprisingly, the answer is no. Tardigrades are not extremophiles, meaning that they would eventually die if exposed to an extreme condition for a long time. However, in comparison to almost every other animal, these little animals have proven to be among the toughest.
But with the water bears’ extreme ability to survive, are they of any benefit to us humans? They most certainly are. With further research, scientists discovered the water bears’ ability to survive extreme radiation was achieved thanks to a special protein they produce, which was later termed as“ Dsup”. With further study, scientists were able to transfer that resilience to the human cells, raising their resistance to radiation by 40 %.
It is said that the smallest things matter. Well, I believe that I just posed an example that literally applies to that famous saying. Hats off to these minute yet powerful animals, even more powerful than the almighty dinosaurs.