How Does the Tiny Waterbear Survive In Outer Space?

DevotedSkeptic sends this excerpt from SmithsonianMag: "The humble tardigrade, also known as a 'waterbear' or 'moss piglet,' is an aquatic eight-legged animal that typically grows no longer than one millimeter in length. Most tardigrades (there are more than 1,000 identified species) have a fairly humdrum existence, living out their days on a moist piece of moss or in the sediment at the bottom of a lake and feeding on bacteria or plant life. In 2007, a group of European researchers pushed the resilience of this extraordinary animal even further, exposing a sample of dehydrated tardigrades to the vacuum and solar radiation of outer space for 10 full days. When the specimens were returned to earth and rehydrated, 68 percent of those that were shielded from the radiation survived, and even a handful of those with no radiation protection came back to life and produced viable offspring. How do the little tardigrades survive such a harsh environment? Although amateur tardigrade enthusiast Mike Shaw recently made waves by postulating that the animals may be equipped to survive in outer space because they originally came from other planets, scientists are certain that the creatures developed their uncommon toughness here on earth."

Apologies to Isaac Watts and Lewis Carroll

[Waterbearlang]

How does the tiny Waterbear
Survive in Outer Space
By dehydrating all the while
And wrinkling its face!

How bravely she can abide
Extremes of cold and heat
Take it all in stride so gallantly
With its graceful, nimble feet!

In works of art or science free
And open source, no fool
She teaches children how to code[1]
Because Waterbear is cool.

So cute, so humble, so robust
Waterbear is da boss
But all she really wants from life
Is a comfy home of moss.

[1] Shameless plug: http://waterbearlang.com/ [waterbearlang.com]