The Waterbear
Burnt, frozen, radiated, raised from the dead – the waterbear is an evolutionary masterpiece.
The waterbear is a 0,5 – 1 mm animal. A bit chubby, segmented with eight legs and an amazing survivor. In experiments it has been exposed to 340 degrees of heat, hypothermia, radiation and drought. But in situations where all other creatures give in, the waterbear endure. This animal can go into a state of cryptobiosis, where all the things we normally define as life are shut down. Encapsulated in this state it can slumber waiting for things to get better. It can lie like this for decades until one day when times has changed, the conditions has become better, the spark of life is lit and the waterbear awakes.