Tardigrades Hold Clues to Health and Longevity

SEM image of Milnesium tardigradum. Schokraie E, Warnken U, Hotz-Wagenblatt A, Grohme MA, Hengherr S, et al. (2012), via Wikimedia Commons. Distributed under a CC BY 2.5 license.

Tardigrades are miniscule aquatic animals, only about the size of the period at the end of this sentence. Yet they are renowned for their ability to survive a number of punishing physical extremes.

Now, scientists studying tardigrades are beginning to uncover the secrets of their super survival skills. In the process, they are discovering unique biological mechanisms that may help solve real-world, human health problems. 

Read my latest story for IEEE Pulse: Clues for Health and Longevity Lie in Tiny Tardigrades.