Why
Just a millimetre or less in size, tardigrades are believed to be the toughest creatures on Earth. A recent study found that they could survive almost any cosmic disaster that could hit the planet. Tardigrades are often found in locations that dry out such as in moss and in ponds.
These so-called water bears, scientifically named tardigrades, are the most extreme animals on our planet. They not only survive in ice, but also in boiling water. Moreover, they can stop breathing for long periods and they have even traveled to outer space, surviving without an astronaut's suit.
In brute strength, elephants are the strongest mammals and the strongest land animals. African elephants can weigh up to 6,350kg and they can carry up to 9,000kg, the weight of 130 adult humans.
Tardigrades can cope with pressures six times higher than those at the deepest parts of the ocean, but can also withstand lack of oxygen and the low pressure of a vacuum.
Research shows that tardigrades can be killed by exposure to hot water for an extended period of time. One study showed that one hour of exposure to water at 82.7 °C (180.9 °F) can kill a tardigrade in its “tun” state, where it goes into suspended animation and becomes hard to destroy.
Although tardigrades can survive extreme conditions, they still have predators. Nematodes (a kind of worm), amoebas, and sometimes even other tardigrades all prey on tardigrades.
The 'immortal' jellyfish, Turritopsis dohrnii
To date, there's only one species that has been called 'biologically immortal': the jellyfish Turritopsis dohrnii. These small, transparent animals hang out in oceans around the world and can turn back time by reverting to an earlier stage of their life cycle.
According to the Independent, honey badgers have been described in the Guinness Book of Records as the "most fearless animal in the world" and can even fight off much larger predators like lions and hyenas.
Celia, the last Pyrenean ibex (Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica), was found dead on 6 January 2000 in the Spanish Pyrenees, after hunting and competition from livestock reduced the population to one individual.
The rarest animal in the world is the vaquita (Phocoena sinus). It is a kind of critically endangered porpoise that only lives in the furthest north-western corner of the Gulf of California in Mexico. There are only 18 left in the world. It is thought that they may be extinct in ten years.
Elephants' Trunks Are Strong, But Also Gentle | Plants And Animals.
A chimpanzee had, pound for pound, as much as twice the strength of a human when it came to pulling weights. The apes beat us in leg strength, too, despite our reliance on our legs for locomotion.
CHIMPANZEES. RECKONED to be the most-intelligent animals on the planet, chimps can manipulate the environment and their surroundings to help themselves and their community. They can work out how to use things as tools to get things done faster, and they have outsmarted people many a time.
Several studies have shown that the response to unwanted pain works the same way in animals. “The changes to their brain waves and physiology are very similar to what you would find in humans,” says Reyes-Illg. Despite knowing that animals feel pain, not all of their pain is treated the same way.
They react differently when external stimuli are applied while sleeping and while awake. But the bullfrog, Lithobates catesbeianus show the same reaction in both situations. This indicates that bullfrogs do not sleep. Lithobates catesbeianus is an animal that cannot sleep.
Well, one species of animal is actually immortal! Immortality means 'eternal life', which is the ability to live forever! The turritopsis dohrnii is a species of jellyfish found in the Mediterranean Sea and around Japan and has been nicknamed the 'immortal jellyfish'…
Tardigrades, also known as water bears, are hardy life forms that can survive extreme temperatures—from volcanic vents on the ocean floor to the frigid climes of Antarctica.
7 Fascinating Facts About the Tardigrade, the Only Animal That Can Survive in Space. All hail the toughest organism on Earth. Tardigrades are one of the most fascinating creatures on Earth—and the moon.
The microscopic water bears that can survive desiccation, extreme cold, and even trips to the Moon have a key weakness: heat. A recent study tested the survivability of a tardigrade species at elevated temperatures over an extended period.