The Indestructible Tardigrades

A Tardigrade (National Geographic photo)

Imagine the universe. Scattered in some random portion of the universe is a set of strange and vastly different planets. Orbiting around one of these extraordinary, life-filled planets is a rocket. Outside of this rocket, is a group of tiny organisms whose species has been the subject of multitudes of research and experimentation. In each passing moment, these creatures beat the odds and tip the scale of luck just a little more to their side simply by living and existing.

These organisms are none other than the infamous Tardigrades. These creatures are known for their striking resilience; a quality that likens them to an indestructible science-fiction entity. In 2007, a research team launched a group of Tardigrades to orbit the Earth on the outside of a rocket. Shockingly, about 68 percent of the Tardigrades survived the entire ordeal.