cryptobiosis Archives

An SEM image of a heterotardigrade, Echiniscoides sigismundi. Image credit: Nadja Møbjerg.

Extraordinary Creatures: Tardigrades

by Keith CowingJuly 27, 2026July 27, 2026

[Journal of Experimental Biology] Tardigrades are tiny ecdysozoans – creatures that grow by shedding their cuticle – with approximately 1500 species that have spread across the planet, from the ocean […]

Cell Science-04 flies tardigrades, or water bears, to the space station for a study seeking to identify the genes involved in its adaptation and survival in high stress environments. Credits: Thomas Boothby, University of Wyoming via NASA

Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Radiation, Space Life Science, Status Report, Tardigrades

Tardigrades As An Emerging Model Animal For Astrobiology Research: A Case Study

by Keith CowingJune 2, 2026June 2, 2026

Tardigrades are extraordinarily resilient creatures, capable of withstanding radiation, extreme dehydration, temperature fluctuations, and even the vacuum of space, which makes them exemplary models for studying the viability of life […]

Images of tardigrades with mineral coatings. Each image is annotated with the sample, simulant and time of exposure in days. Before treatment: Panels A–C show example active animals from inoculums with smooth exteriors. After treatment: Panels D–G show examples of active animals with mineral particles visible as a rough, bumpy exterior (arrows point to examples). Panels H–M show inactive (presumed dead) animals with mineral particles attached. Panels H, K and M show examples of bloated animals. Scale bar is 100 microns and the same size in each image. Images without scale bars are from videos and are shown at approximately the same scale. -- International Journal of Astrobiology

Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Desert Worlds, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Life Support Systems, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Space Agriculture, Space Life Science, Status Report, Terraforming & Geoengineering

Short-term Survival Of Tardigrades In Martian Regolith Simulants

by Keith CowingFebruary 28, 2026February 28, 2026

With future intended human missions to Mars, it is crucial to understand the potential habitability of martian regolith both to support plant growth and to mitigate accidental release of organisms […]

Batillipes pennaki, found in Brazil, is a marine species of tardigrade (photo: André Garraffoni)

Cryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Press Release

Tardigrades Are Less Cosmopolitan And More Diverse Than Has Been Thought

by Keith CowingOctober 25, 2024October 25, 2024

Tardigrades are microscopic invertebrates measuring between 0.2 mm and 1.1 mm in length. They are close relatives of arthropods (spiders, insects, crustaceans), and can live in wide variety of environments. […]

General morphology of P. kolymaensis, female.

Cryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release

Genome Analysis Of 46,000-year-old Roundworm From Siberian Permafrost Reveals Novel Species

by Keith CowingJuly 28, 2023July 28, 2023

Some organisms, such as tardigrades, rotifers, and nematodes, can survive harsh conditions by entering a dormant state known as “cryptobiosis.” In 2018, researchers from the Institute of Physicochemical and Biological […]