It’s definitely not the kind of pet you’d keep in your house. Scientists have discovered that there’s only one creature on Earth that’s most likely to survive a doomsday-level event and it’s not us humans.
People online often debate what would happen if the world came to an end and who or what would be left standing. But according to research, humans wouldn’t make it through something that destroys the planet on a massive scale.
Instead, scientists believe one tiny animal could pull through. This research was done by teams from the University of Oxford and Harvard back in 2017. They weren’t looking at common disasters like deforestation or nuclear war. Instead, they studied massive space events like supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, asteroid impacts, or even rogue stars passing too close.
These events would be strong enough to boil Earth’s oceans and wipe out most forms of life. In situations like that, humans and animals we know today wouldn’t survive. But one small creature might: the tardigrade.
Tardigrades, sometimes called “water bears” or “moss piglets,” are tiny creatures that live in water. They have soft, round bodies, eight legs, and a cute appearance. But don’t let their look fool you they’re incredibly tough.
Dr. David Sloan, one of the scientists behind the study, said they were surprised to find that tardigrades could survive disasters that would completely destroy humanity. He explained that even if many species die out, life as a whole can continue especially with survivors like the tardigrade.
Tardigrades survive by going into a deep hibernation state called cryptobiosis. In this state, they get rid of nearly all the water in their bodies and shut down most of their functions. While in cryptobiosis, they can live through freezing temperatures down to -460°F and scorching heat up to 302°F. They can also survive intense radiation and crushing pressure conditions that would kill any human instantly.
So while we might worry about snowstorms or heatwaves, tardigrades wouldn’t even notice. They’re built for survival in ways we can barely imagine.
