Tardigrades (/ ˈtɑːrdɪɡreɪdz / ⓘ), [1] known colloquially as water bears or moss piglets, [2] are a phylum of eight-legged segmented micro-animals. They were first described by the German …

Sep 13, 2025 · Tardigrade, any of more than 1,100 species of tiny invertebrates that make up the phylum Tardigrada. These tiny creatures are considered to be close relatives of arthropods, …

Aug 31, 2024 · Tardigrades may be the toughest animals on Earth. They have evolved to live almost anywhere and survive almost anything. Some tardigrades can shrug off conditions that …

Sep 12, 2024 · When a tardigrade expels its body's water, these proteins form a tough, glass-like cocoon around the tardigrade's cells. This keeps its cells safe while the tardigrade is a tun.

Sep 4, 2025 · According to the World List of Tardigrada, these animals are currently categorized into two recognized classes: Eutardigrada and Heterotardigrada. While the largest tardigrades …

Sep 19, 2025 · Bake them, freeze them, fire them from a gun or blast them into space: tardigrades can survive almost anything. Some experts think they might even survive right up …

Mar 13, 2020 · What is a tardigrade? Tardigrades are microscopic eight-legged animals that have been to outer space and would likely survive the apocalypse. Bonus: They look like adorable …