Definitions

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  • noun Plural form of tardigrade.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • : Tiny animals called tardigrades -- better known as water-bears -- have become the first animals to survive the cruel vacuum, intense cold and radiation of space without a spacesuit.

    Prospects and Perils 2008

  • Following up on Monday's bit about tardigrades aka "water bears" surviving in space, The New York Times posts this short article basically rehashing the snippet in New Scientist.

    ianrandalstrock's Journal ianrandalstrock 2008

  • Water bears, also known as tardigrades, are very small, segmented animals.

    PhysOrg.com - latest science and technology news stories 2010

  • - No bigger than a speck, tiny eight-legged creatures called tardigrades live either in ocean or freshwater habitats.

    90.3 WCPN ideastream - The Sound of Ideas 2009

  • The microscopic animals called tardigrades are nearly as resilient, able to withstand not just high doses of radiation but also high pressure, the vacuum of space, and temperatures well above boiling or just above absolute zero.

    Planet Atheism 2009

  • Water bears, also known as tardigrades, are known for their virtual indestructibility on Earth.

    Wrong Planet Asperger / Autism Forums 2008

  • I love vintage Sci-fi some animals - the so-called tardigrades

    Latest Articles 2008

  • The water bears, technically called tardigrades, are actually tiny living creatures that can withstand some of the harshest environments on Earth, and so presented themselves as the most likely creatures to survive in open space.

    Medgadget 2008

  • Water bears, also known as tardigrades, are known for their virtual indestructibility on Earth.

    American Scientist Online 2008

  • The creatures, known as tardigrades, are tiny - between 0.1 to 1.5 mm long - and are commonly found on wet lichens and moss.

    Impact Lab 2008

Comments

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  • Also known as water bears .

    March 24, 2008

  • Tardigrades, also known as "water bears", are highly resilient microscopic animals. They are capable of surviving extremes such as heat, radiation, drought, and the vacuum of space by going into a "tun"—essentially a shrivelled blob—a type of suspended animation (Cryptobiosis) where their metabolism slows to near zero and they simply wait out the harsh conditions until the environment is more favorable.

    November 21, 2015