Chapter 1
Meet the moss piglets
Chapter 2
The art of playing dead
Chapter 3
Shielded from the extreme
Chapter 4
Cosmic travelers and beyond
YOUR GOAL
Master of The secret life of moss piglets
Ch 3 · Shielded from the extreme
alicecooks Tardigrade Cryptobiosis
They shield their cells with glass (oh, with glass!), until the freezing cold has passed (yeah, has passed!)
alicecooks In the species Ramazzottius varieornatus, the Damage Suppressor protein binds to DNA, blocking cosmic radiation and X-rays that
alicecooks An expressive, vivid painting of a microscopic tardigrade shining with protective blue light
Fun Fact
Radiation shield: Tardigrades can survive radiation doses five thousand times higher than what would be fatal to a human being.
Glossary
cryptobiosis (noun)
A state of suspended animation in which an organism's metabolic activity is reduced to an undetectable level. In 2007, this physiological shutdown allowed dehydrated tardigrades to survive ten days in low Earth orbit.
A state of suspended animation in which an organism's metabolic activity is reduced to an undetectable level. In 2007, this physiological shutdown allowed dehydrated tardigrades to survive ten days in low Earth orbit.
Quiz
How does the species Paramacrobiotus BLR survive lethal doses of ultraviolet radiation?
Quiz
Why do active, non-dehydrated tardigrades die much more easily in extreme conditions?
Quiz
The Dsup protein protects tardigrades by shielding their DNA from which harmful byproduct of radiation?
Quiz
What is the name of the tardigrade protein that acts as a physical shield for DNA?
Quiz
What is the highest temperature a dormant tardigrade tun has been shown to survive?