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"Water Bears" First Animals to Survive Trip Into Space Naked

Posted by timothy on from the if-we-could-only-rehydrate-lobsters dept.

Adam Korbitz writes "New Scientist and Science Daily are reporting the results of an intriguing experiment in which scientists launched tardigrades or 'water bears' — tiny invertebrates about one millimeter long — into space onboard the European Space Agency's FOTON-M3 spacecraft. After 10 days in the vacuum of space, the satellite returned to Earth and the tardigrades were recovered. The tardigrades survived the vacuum just fine, but exposure to the Sun's ultraviolet radiation proved deadly for most of the water bears. However, some did survive. The tardigrades are the first animals to have survived such an experiment, a feat previously achieved only by lichens and bacteria."

2 of 235 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Obama the "great" orator by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    well if its between an old guy who puts you to sleep and a guy who even on a bad day speaks better than Bush, I'll take the guy who's less likely to crumble into a pile of dust.

  2. Re:Obama the "great" orator by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    You're entirely ignoring the comedy value of having Sarah Palin as vice president!