Scientists often think about how will people survive some terrible disaster. Well, for example, what will happen to us if the Earth will crash a giant asteroid from outer space? Or the Sun will go out? Chances are not very many people, but the animals plenty of them — to such conclusion researchers of the University of Oxford after a number of experiments.
Tardigrades are very hardy and can survive even in pretty harsh conditions. For example, they were once frozen for 30 years and then pulled out, thawed ago and found that they are alive, healthy, willing and, most importantly, can breed. Well they had felt in other difficult conditions such as high temperatures and at the bottom of the ocean.
To find out what else can these amazing creatures, scientists from Oxford University have recreated in a lab environment similar to what can occur on our planet after some catastrophe. The researchers chose the possible scenarios, among which was the supernova, a giant asteroid and gamma-ray bursts. After a series of experiments they concluded that the animals seem to have all the chances to survive of humanity.
Sufficient size to destroy the animalcules of the asteroid in the near future should not wait, and gamma-ray burst that can kill these invertebrates, should also be quite close to the Earth, while certainly not planned. The supernova explosion also needs to be strong enough and occur near the Ground, and while the options available can not cause the animals harm, because they bear quite a strong radiation and can quite comfortably exist at the bottom of oceans from underwater volcanoes, for example. Tardigrades were able to endure all scientists test, which, in turn, gave researchers new food for thought.
“I think if life has originated somewhere, destroy it becomes quite difficult,” says Dr. David Slovan, one of the authors of the study.
The scientists noted that their study points to the possible existence of life on other planets, because if on Earth there is such persistent guys like tardigrades, what can prevent them to live and thrive somewhere else?
Tardigrades can survive the fall of an asteroid and supernova explosion
Vyacheslav Larionov