Tardigrades survive impacts of up to 825 meters per second
May 21, 2021 report
by Bob Yirka , Phys.org
A pair of researchers at the University of Kent has found that tardigrades are able to survive impacts at speeds of up to 825 meters per second. In their paper published in the journal Astrobiology, Alejandra Traspas and Mark Burchell describe experiments they conducted that involved firing canisters containing tardigrades at high speeds at sand targets.
Tardigrades are tiny eight-legged animals, on the order of 0.1 centimeter in length, of the phylum Tardigrada—they have been given the name "water bear" due to their appearance. Tardigrades have made the news in recent years due to their hardiness. They were the first known animal to survive the rigors of outer space; they are able to go without water for up to 10 years; they can survive extreme pressures and temperatures (including boiling water) and levels of UV radiation that are lethal to most other animals. To achieve these feats, the tiny creatures curl up into a ball and enter a sleep-like state. In this new effort, the researchers wanted to know if they could also survive high-speed impacts.
