Tardigrade Fact file

TardigradeFor our film concept, my group and I came up with the idea of having an organism with the abilities to survive almost anything and to transfer its abilities to the human race.We researched and we found a microscopic organism, which has outlived many species and has survived mass extinctions. We thought its ability to return from the dead links with our idea.

Tardigrade AbilitiesTardigrades (water bears) are microscopic animals that can live through almost anything: 30 years in a freezer, rapid dehydration, boiling and freezing temperatures, massive doses of radiation, baths in organic solvents, and a trip to open space. Scientists have already done tests to somehow transfer their genomes into humans to make us stronger as a species.

“When one of those proteins was introduced into a human kidney cell line, those kidney cells were able to withstand X-ray radiation and hydrogen peroxide significantly better than unmodified, normal cells.”

Extra InfoTardigrades have the ability to lose part of their DNA that can trigger cells to consume or denature in response to environmental stress. Not only did they adapt their body to get rid of certain cells, they have also through out the ages evolved into creating new protective genes, and made new proteins that protect the delicate strands of DNA Most of the adaptations seem focused on preserving or repairing DNA under stressful conditions.