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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 1, 2010 - 10:14pm PT
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Before I was an artist I was a science nerd. I just think water bears (aka "moss piglets") are cool. They are natures true immortal and pretty darn cute for a microscopic critter.
QUOTE: Water bears are unique microscopic organisms which can be found in almost every environment on Earth. The first water bears were observed in 1773, by Johann Goeze, a German clergyman and zoologist. He observed small creatures in water samples when he magnified them, and he called them little “water bears” after their lumbering movements and bear-like appearance. Under high magnification, water bears really do look remarkably like bears, although they have two extra sets of feet and obviously segmented bodies. Their faces are also quite expressive, and some beautiful prints of magnified water bears can be found in natural history museums.
The thing that makes water bears remarkable is their ability to survive in extreme situations. These creatures can tolerate far more radiation than most other organisms can, and they can also survive in temperature extremes, high pressure areas like hydrothermal vents deep under the ocean, and in the vacuum of space. They can also be dehydrated for up to a decade without any ill effects. Water bears also appear to be capable of dealing with many environmental toxins.
Because of their amazing versatility, water bears can be found in incredibly diverse environments all over the world. Scientists have also conducted tests with these hardy animals, subjecting them to extreme pressure, intense cold, and severe radiation exposure. The average water bear can take as much as 570 times the amount of radiation it takes to kill a human!
Water bears have another interesting trait; they are eutelic organisms, meaning that mature adults retain the same number of cells throughout their lives. Once a tardigrade reaches maturity, growth is accomplished by cell expansion, rather than cell division. A typical adult water bear has around 40,000 cells in its body.
They even have their AWESOME own video and song!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKamWp610ng
OK... I'm done geeking out now.
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MisterE
Social climber
Bouncy Tiggerville
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I'll be your "moss Pooh" to your "moss Piglet"!
:^)
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
SoCal
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Geek! Hey, wanna buy a microscope? Trade ya for some glass.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Where does that leave 'moss-Tigger'?
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 1, 2010 - 10:24pm PT
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Aw^^ ... and where does that leave poor moss- Tiger?
BTW- Just a warning...
That waterbear song starts replaying in your head worse than It's a Small World once you listen too it.
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LuckyPink
climber
the last bivy
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best post of the night Maidie!
"Pressure never leaves you in despair
When
You're a
WATER BEAR"
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Thanks Maidy. Truly weird.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Bump for tardegrades, of which I have recently learned - notwithstanding what at first blush seems a politically incorrect name. Is there such a thing as a water tigger?
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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The colonel once me that many of the'floaters' on sees through one's eyes, were in reality water bears...
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 2, 2010 - 01:33am PT
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I would be honored to have water bears living in my eyes.
More about their cryptobiosis (deathlike state):
The most common type of cryptobiosis studied in tardigrades is anhydrobiosis. Anton van Leeuwenhoek first documented cryptobiosis in 1702, when he observed tiny animalcules in sediment collected from house roofs. He dried them out, added water, and found that the animals began moving around again. The animalcules were likely nematodes or rotifers, other types of cryptobiotic animals. Tardigrades can survive dry periods by curling up into a little ball called a tun. Tun formation requires metabolism and synthesis of a protective sugar known as trehalose, which moves into the cells and replaces lost water. While in a tun, their metabolism can lower to less than 0.01% of normal. Revival typically takes a few hours, depending on how long the tardigrade has been in the cryptobiotic state.
Live tardigrades have been regenerated from dried moss kept in a museum for over 100 years! Once the moss was moistened, they successfully recovered from their tuns. While tardigrades can survive in extreme environments, they are not considered extremophiles because they are not adapted to live in these conditions. Their chances of dying increase the longer they are exposed to the extreme environment.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jeebus, I never was much for drinking water but now you've put me totally
off that shite! I'm not sure I can even get it up to take a shower now.
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 2, 2010 - 11:35am PT
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"Water Bear Survives Naked in Space"
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26613502/ns/technology_and_science-space/
"The tardigrades were aboard the FOTON-M3 spacecraft launched by the European Space Agency in September 2007 and were exposed to open space conditions, the scientists reported today. They were examined upon return to Earth.
Most survived exposure to the vacuum and cosmic rays, and some even survived the exposure to the deadly levels of solar UV radiation, which are more than 1,000 times higher than on the surface of the Earth.
The survivors "could reproduce fine after their space trip," according to a statement released Monday by Cell Press, the journal that published results of the test."
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MisterE
Social climber
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Dec 13, 2012 - 12:05am PT
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Water you do when you can't bear it?
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paganmonkeyboy
climber
mars...it's near nevada...
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Dec 13, 2012 - 12:07am PT
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I don't know - water you do ?
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Dec 13, 2012 - 01:19am PT
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JTM, are you related to Warrant Officer Ripley?
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MisterE
Social climber
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Dec 13, 2012 - 01:23am PT
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I find this whole aside very tardigrading.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Dec 13, 2012 - 01:26am PT
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Can Mighty Tardegrades Hike, or do they just swim, and float in space?
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 13, 2012 - 09:50am PT
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Can Mighty Tardegrades Hike, or do they just swim, and float in space?
Monks have sat on mountaintops for aeons contemplating the answer to that very question.
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Dec 13, 2012 - 12:00pm PT
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The only reason I know what a taregrade even is (in spite of being a biologist) is that there is a totally wacky house in Berkeley that was built using the tardegrade as its inspiration. Apparently, it's a super indestructible creature, and the architect wanted a super indestructible house.
Check out their line of clothing as well. This is someone who is really committed to living their life in a wacky way with no apparent sense of irony.
http://www.tdrinc.com/tsuihs.html
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