Skip to main content

TARDIGRADES INTO SPACE

Tardigrades are phylum eight-legged segmented micro-animals. These species have been sent to space by Japan ‘s National Institute of Polar Research. There are about 1,300 known species in the phylum- Tardigrada, a part of the superphylum is Ecdysozoa consisting of animals that grow by ecdysis such as arthropods and nematodes. The earliest known true members of the group are known from Cretaceous (145 to 66 million years ago) amber, found in North America, but are essentially modern forms, and therefore likely have a significantly earlier origin, as they diverged from their closest relatives in the Cambrian, over 500 million years ago. They are often found on lichens and mosses and can be seen by soaking a piece of moss in water. These species are not harmful to humans. They can survive extreme conditions by going into a “tun” state, in which their body dries out and their metabolism drops to as little as 0.01 percent of its normal rate. When conditions return to normal, the tardigrade revives itself. A tardigrade can stay in a tun state for decades. Scientists of Japan’s National Institute of Polar Research have brought a frozen animal back ‘Tardigrade ‘which they had collected in Antarctica 30 years ago. 
They are commonly known as ‘water bears’, or ‘moss piglets’. Tardigrades are usually about 0.5 mm (0.02 in) long when fully grown. They are short and plump, with four pairs of legs, each ending in claws (usually four to eight) or suction disks. They feed on plant cells and algae. They can survive years without food or water, withstand freezing and scalding temperatures and endure blistering radiation and the vacuum of outer space.

Tardigrades are very tough animals and are found everywhere on earth, from mountain tops to deep seas. They have survived five mass extinctions. Recently, Nasa had sent 5,000 tardigrades into space. Tardigrades have been sent because of their ability to survive under high-stress environments.




Credits: Jothika

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

WHY ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEAN ARE NOT MIXED?

Nearly 72% of the earth is filled with water and it is present with different names- oceans, seas, rivers. Why are they named differently? There are five oceans namely Artic ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian ocean and Antarctic ocean . All the oceans are different in their physical and biological character called ocean clines. When we look at the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean junction, they do not mix. Is there any invisible Wall in between them? Many scientists have conducted research to solve this mystery. The Atlantic and Pacific Ocean have different chemical composition. The salinity of the water in the Atlantic Ocean is five times more than the Pacific Ocean. The density of water is also different, so even marine animals in Atlantic Ocean will not go to the Pacific Ocean. They cannot survive in other oceans. Atlantic and Pacific Ocean meet at Cape Horn. The narrow straight line formed by the water bodies is called Drake Strait. The Pacific Ocean is ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Chemical Lake

 Spotted Lake or Lake khiluk in Canada is richly concentrated with various minerals. It contains dense deposits of magnesium sulfate, calcium, and sodium sulfates. It also contains high concentrations of eight other minerals and lower amounts of silver and titanium. Most of the water in the lake evaporates over the summer, revealing colorful mineral deposits. Large ‘spots’ on the lake appear and are colored according to the mineral composition and seasonal amount of precipitation. Magnesium sulfate, which crystallizes in the summer, is a major contributor to spot color.  Originally known to the First Nations of the Okanagan Valley (Native American Tribe) as Khiluk, Spotted Lake was for centuries and remains revered as a sacred site thought to provide therapeutic waters. It is the most mineralized lake in the world. Each spot holds a different cure due to the unique chemical content found within each puddle. Lake Khiluk is considered a saline endorheic alkali lake. The Okanag...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why some flowers bloom at night ?

Summer is known for its fields of wildflowers and flowering trees. All colours of pedals spread toward the sky. We have taken for granted that flowers bloom during the day, just like how summer is warm and grass grows. However, there are some flowers that defy the norm and do not go with the flow of following daylight hours. These flowers actually have a good reason for their particularly weird flower habits. The main purpose of flower blossoms is for the plant to spread their seeds. The flower attracts bees, the bees fly to another flower, and voila, the flower has spread its seeds. However, bees are not the only pollinators, even if they are the most famous.  “7 Insect Pollinators that Arendt Bees or Butterflies”, moths, mosquitos, beetles, and even ants share the credit for helping flowers flourish. Most pollinators roam only in daylight, leading most flowers to open up when the sun is out to fit their pollinators’ schedule. But not all pollinators like t...
Post a Comment
Read more