It’s high time I introduced you to someone. Or rather, many someones.
Water bears, aka ‘Tardigrades’ or moss piglets, look like unfortunate gummi bears that have sprouted another two sets of legs. Before you worry about encountering one in the wild, fear not – they’re tiny.
Very tiny.
They are also adorable as hell.
Don’t let their cuteness trick you though. Water bears are built to last. When they were first discovered in 1773, I’m pretty sure scientists thought they were a microscopic practical joke. Think you can take the heat? Water bears can withstand 151 degrees celsius. That’s hotter than boiling water. They just sit there and lounge in it, practically egging you on in their little Speedos.*
They also put Superman to shame, with an ability to take 1000 times the lethal dose of radiation for a human. Oh, and did I mention they can handle 6000 atmospheres of pressure?
They’ve even been to space, joyriding outside of space station windows. Might as well have sent them to Aruba for all they cared.
As if this wasn’t enough to make you feel like a total un-invincible failure – they can even go ten years without a drink.
How, you ask, can these little goobers no bigger than 0.5mm survive such incredibly daring feats?
They can resurrect themselves.
Yes, you read that right. Sure, things get rough for them. But when they do, instead of whining about it, they shut down their bodies and hunker down. By ‘shut down’ I mean they stop every single process that their body normally does – including reproduction, growth and metabolism. During this period, which can last for years, the moss piggies are essentially dead.
Then, when things start looking up, they wake up, dust themselves off and carry on their merry way. Not bad for nearly invisible.
Because they can withstand such incredible (often sadistic!) scientific torture with a grin on their little faces, they have earned the classification ‘polyextremophiles’.
Something to think about the next time you’re having a rough day. 
*Tardigrades don’t wear Speedos.
Happy weekending!
