Tardigrades' latest superpower: a fluorescent protective shield

[Judi Lynn]

Scientists identify a species that appears to absorb potentially lethal UV radiation and emit blue light

Nicola Davis Science correspondent
@NicolaKSDavis
Tue 13 Oct 2020 19.01 EDT

- click for image -

https://tinyurl.com/y5cvaobb

The might be tiny creatures with a comical appearance, but tardigrades are one of life’s great survivors. Now scientists say they have found a new species boasting an unexpected piece of armour: a protective fluorescent shield.

Also known as water bears or moss piglets, tardigrades are microscopic, water-dwelling creatures, around 0.5mm to 1mm in length, that resemble a crumpled hoover bag with eight legs.

But while their appearance invites amusing comparisons, it is their hardiness that has inspired awe: the creatures can survive the vacuum of space, extreme temperatures and pressures, and intense ionising and UV radiation.

Among their survival tactics, tardigrades have the ability to shrivel up in a dormant state in which they can survive for decades, while they also produce proteins to protect their cells.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/oct/14/tardigrades-latest-superpower-a-fluorescent-protective-shield

[Judi Lynn]

1. New tardigrade species fends of killer light with a fluorescent shield

By Nick Lavars
October 13, 2020

The tardigrade is one of nature’s toughest animals, using a unique form of hibernation to endure otherwise fatal conditions such as extreme heat and pressure, or even the vacuum of space. Scientists have now discovered a new species of tardigrade that expands this array of survival tools, employing a type of fluorescent shield to protect itself against lethal UV radiation.

Also known as water bears or moss piglets, tardigrades are microscopic critters that have come to amaze scientists with their incredible durability. They are thought to be one of the only species to have survived all of the five major extinction events, can withstand the crushing forces at the bottom of the ocean, and can get by without food, water or oxygen.

They do this by compacting their bodies in a way that reorganizes their internal organs, entering a state of deep suspended animation. This essentially freezes them and protects them from lethal threats, until conditions become safe for them to emerge from hibernation. So effective is this trick that one Harvard-led study in 2017 concluded that tardigrades might even live to see our Sun die.

Scientists at the Indian Institute of Science have been investigating the survival mechanisms used by tardigrades, gathering specimens from the area and subjecting them to extreme conditions, as reported by Science. In one of the experiments, the team exposed the tardigrades to a germicidal UV lamp at doses sufficient to kill bacteria and roundworms in minutes.

More:
https://newatlas.com/biology/new-tardigrade-species-light-fluorescent-shield/

[druidity33]

2. I'm not sure

tardigrades could get any cooler. Maybe shooting lazer beams from their "eyes"? Do they have eyes?

K&R

[Lochloosa]

3. I'm not sure they need them...