The Animals That Survived Open Space

In 2007, a rocket carried about 3,000 dried tardigrades into orbit and left them in open space for ten days, 270 kilometres up. 🌍

Most came back alive, a few even survived the Sun's full ultraviolet light, and back on Earth they laid eggs that hatched.

3D models are simplified illustrations and may not be exact. "ROCKET" by Ret.ouchs (Sketchfab, CC BY 4.0, markings removed); "Iridescent Waves" by Tycho Magnetic Anomaly (CC BY 4.0); Earth textures: Solar System Scope (CC BY 4.0); the water bear is our own build. Micrograph: Schokraie et al. 2012, PLoS ONE (CC BY 2.5). Source: Jönsson et al. 2008, Current Biology. #tardigrade #waterbear #space #biology #shorts