Indestructible Water Bears

Water bears are so hardy that researchers are studying them to try to advance human medicine.

Scientifically they’re called tardigrades. There are over a thousand species living in wet environments, from the deep sea to moss beds in the Himalayas.

They may look like bears, but there’s no relation. To begin, they’re microscopic, usually less than a millimeter in length.

They have a digestive tract, but no bones, lungs or circulatory system. Their bodies keep their shape by holding fluid within – like a water balloon.

If the tardigrade’s watery home dries up, it dries up too. It curls up in a ball, shrinks to a third its normal size, and goes into suspended animation…where it can stay for decades until there’s enough water to rehydrate.

If the water freezes, the tardigrade produces proteins to protect itself from ice crystals forming inside its body. It withstands UV exposure by producing its own bioluminescence. It endures high levels of radiation with genes that regenerate cells.

Qualities like these have made tardigrades successful for over 500 million years.

And today, scientists hope to learn from them: how to repair human cells after cancer therapy. How to freeze then thaw organs for transplant. How to make vaccines last without refrigeration.

Many big ideas may come from the tiny, nearly indestructible water bear.