Phylum of microscopic animals, also known as water bears
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Here’s the big invertebrate episode I’ve been promising people! Thanks to Sam, warbrlwatchr, Jayson, Richard from NC, Holly, Kabir, Stewie, Thaddeus, and Trech for their suggestions this week! Further reading: Does the Spiral Siphonophore Reign as the Longest Animal in the World? The common nawab butterfly: The common nawab caterpillar: A velvet worm: A giant siphonophore [photo by Catriona Munro, Stefan Siebert, Felipe Zapata, Mark Howison, Alejandro Damian-Serrano, Samuel H. Church, Freya E.Goetz, Philip R. Pugh, Steven H.D.Haddock, Casey W.Dunn – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1055790318300460#f0030]: Show transcript: Welcome to Strange Animals Podcast. I'm your host, Kate Shaw. Hello to 2026! This is usually where I announce that I'm going to do a series of themed episodes throughout the coming year, and usually I forget all about it after a few months. This year I have a different announcement. After our nine-year anniversary next month, which is episode 470, instead of new episodes I'm going to be switching to old Patreon episodes. I closed the Patreon permanently at the end of December but all the best episodes will now run in the main feed until our ten-year anniversary in February 2027. That's episode 523, when we'll have a big new episode that will also be the very last one ever. I thought this was the best way to close out the podcast instead of just stopping one day. The only problem is the big list of suggestions. During January I'm going to cover as many suggestions as I possibly can. This week's episode is about invertebrates, and in the next few weeks we'll have an episode about mammals, one about reptiles and birds, and one about amphibians and fish, although I don't know what order they'll be in yet. Episode 470 will be about animals discovered in 2025, along with some corrections and updates. I hope no one is sad about the podcast ending! You have a whole year to get used to it, and the old episodes will remain forever on the website so you can listen whenever you like. All that out of the way, let's start 2026 right with a whole lot of invertebrates! Thanks to Sam, warbrlwatchr, Jayson, Richard from NC, Holly, Kabir, Stewie, Thaddeus, and Trech for their suggestions this week! Let's start with Trech's suggestion, a humble ant called the weaver ant. It's also called the green ant even though not all species are green, because a species found in Australia is partially green. Most species are red, brown, or yellowish, and they're found in parts of northern and western Australia, southern Asia, and on most islands in between the two areas, and in parts of central Africa. The weaver ant lives in trees in tropical areas, and gets the name weaver ant because of the way it makes its nest. The nests are made out of leaves, but the leaves are still growing on the tree. Worker ants grab the edge of a leaf in their mandibles, then pull the leaf toward another leaf or sometimes double the leaf over. Sometimes ants have to make a chain to reach another leaf, with each ant grabbing the next ant around the middle until the ant at the end of the chain can grab the edge of a leaf. While the leaf is being pulled into place alongside the edge of another leaf, or the opposite edge of the same leaf, other workers bring larvae from an established part of the nest. The larvae secrete silk to make cocoons, but a worker ant holds a larva at the edge of the leaf, taps its little head, and the larva secretes silk that the workers use to bind the leaf edges together. A single colony has multiple nests, often in more than one tree, and are constantly constructing new ones as the old leaves are damaged by weather or just die off naturally. The weaver ant mainly eats insects, which is good for the trees because many of the insects the ants kill and eat are ones that can damage trees. This is one reason why farmers in some places like seeing weaver ants, especially fruit farmers, and sometimes farmers will even buy a weaver ant colony starter pack to place in their trees deliberately. The farmer doesn't have to use pesticides, and the weaver ants even cause some fruit- and leaf-eating animals to stay away, because the ants can give a painful bite. People in many areas also eat the weaver ant larvae, which is considered a delicacy. Our next suggestion is by Holly, the zombie snail. I actually covered this in a Patreon episode, but I didn't schedule it for next year because I thought I'd used the information already in a regular episode, but now I can't find it. So let's talk about it now! In August of 2019, hikers in Taiwan came across a snail that looked like it was on its way to a rave. It had what looked like flashing neon decorations in its head, pulsing in green and orange. Strobing colors are just not something you'd expect to find on an animal, or if you did it would be a deep-sea animal. The situation is not good for the snail, let me tell you. It's due to a parasitic flatworm called the green-banded broodsac. The flatworm infects birds, but to get into the bird, first it has to get into a snail. To get into a snail, it has to be in a bird, though, because it lives in the cloaca of a bird and attaches its eggs to the bird's droppings. When a snail eats a yummy bird dropping, it also eats the eggs. The eggs hatch in the snail's body instead of being digested, where eventually they develop into sporocysts. That's a branched structure that spreads throughout the snail's body, including into its head and eyestalks. The sporocyst branches that are in the snail's eyestalks further develop into broodsacs, which look like little worms or caterpillars banded with green and orange or green and yellow, sometimes with black or brown bands too—it depends on the species. About the time the broodsacs are ready for the next stage of life, the parasite takes control of the snail's brain. The snail goes out in daylight and sits somewhere conspicuous, and its body, or sometimes just its head or eyestalks, becomes semi-translucent so that the broodsacs show through it. Then the broodsacs swell up and start to pulse. The colors and movement resemble a caterpillar enough that it attracts birds that eat caterpillars. A bird will fly up, grab what it thinks is a caterpillar, and eat it up. The broodsac develops into a mature flatworm in the bird's digestive system, and sticks itself to the walls of the cloaca with two suckers, and the whole process starts again. The snail gets the worst part of this bargain, naturally, but it doesn't necessarily die. It can survive for a year or more even with the parasite living in it, and it can still use its eyes. When it's bird time, the bird isn't interested in the snail itself. It just wants what it thinks is a caterpillar, and a lot of times it just snips the broodsac out of the snail's eyestalk without doing a lot of damage to the snail. If a bird doesn't show up right away, sometimes the broodsac will burst out of the eyestalk anyway. It can survive for up to an hour outside the snail and continues to pulsate, so it will sometimes still get eaten by a bird. Okay, that was disgusting. Let's move on quickly to the tiger beetle, suggested by both Sam and warblrwatchr. There are thousands of tiger beetle species known and they live all over the world, except for Antarctica. Because there are so many different species in so many different habitats, they don't all look the same, but many common species are reddish-orange with black stripes, which is where the name tiger beetle comes from. Others are plain black or gray, shiny blue, dark or pale brown, spotted, mottled, iridescent, bumpy, plain, bulky, or lightly built. They vary a lot, but one thing they all share are long legs. That's because the tiger beetle is famous for its running speed. Not all species can fly, but even in the ones that can, its wings are small and it can't fly far. But it can run so fast that scientists have discovered that its simple eyes can't gather enough photons for the brain to process an image of its surroundings while it runs. That's why the beetle will run extremely fast, then stop for a moment before running again. Its brain needs a moment to catch up. The tiger beetle eats insects and other small animals, which it runs after to catch. The fastest species known lives around the shores of Lake Eyre in South Australia, Rivacindela hudsoni. It grows around 20 mm long, and can run as much as 5.6 mph, or 9 km/hour, not that it's going to be running for an entire hour at a time. Still, that's incredibly fast for something with little teeny legs. Another insect that is really fast is called the common nawab, suggested by Jayson. It's a butterfly that lives in tropical forests and rainforests in South Asia and many islands. Its wings are mainly brown or black with a big yellow or greenish spot in the middle and some little white spots along the edges, and the hind wings have two little tails that look like spikes. It's really pretty and has a wingspan more than three inches across, or about 8.5 cm. The common nawab spends most of its time in the forest canopy, flying quickly from flower to flower. Females will travel long distances, but when a female is ready to lay her eggs, she returns to where she hatched. The male stays in his territory, and will chase away other common nawab males if they approach. The common nawab caterpillar is green with pale yellow stripes, and it has four horn-like projections on its head, which is why it's called the dragon-headed caterpillar. It's really awesome-looking and I put it on the list to cover years ago, then forgot it until Jayson recommended it. But it turns out there's not a lot known about the common nawab, so there's not a lot to say about it. Next, Richard from NC suggested the velvet worm. It's not a worm and it's not made of velvet, although its body is soft and velvety to the touch. It's long and fairly thin, sort of like a caterpillar in shape but with lots of stubby little legs. There are hundreds of species known in two families. Most species of velvet worm are found in South America and Australia. Some species of velvet worm can grow up to 8 and a half inches long, or 22 cm, but most are much smaller. The smallest lives in New Zealand on the South Island, and only grows up to 10 mm long, with 13 pairs of legs. The largest lives in Costa Rica in Central America and was only discovered in 2010. It has up to 41 pairs of legs, although males only have 34 pairs. Various species of velvet worm are different colors, although a lot of them are reddish, brown, or orangey-brown. Most species have simple eyes, although some have no eyes at all. Its legs are stubby, hollow, and very simple, with a pair of tiny chitin claws at the ends. The claws are retractable and help it climb around. It likes humid, dark places like mossy rocks, leaf litter, fallen logs, caves, and similar habitats. Some species are solitary but others live in social groups of closely related individuals. The velvet worm is an ambush predator, and it hunts in a really weird way. It's nocturnal and its eyes are not only very simple, but the velvet worm can't even see ahead of it because its eyes are behind a pair of fleshy antennae that it uses to feel its way delicately forward. It walks so softly on its little legs that the small insects and other invertebrates that it preys on often don't even notice it. When it comes across an animal, it uses its antennae to very carefully touch it and decide whether it's worth attacking. When it decides to attack, it squirts slime that acts like glue. It has a gland on either side of its head that squirts slime quite accurately. Once the prey is immobilized, the velvet worm may give smaller squirts of slime at dangerous parts, like the fangs of spiders. Then it punctures the body of its prey with its jaws and injects saliva, which kills the animal and starts to liquefy its insides. While the velvet worm is waiting for this to happen, it eats up its slime to reuse it, then sucks the liquid out of the prey. This can take a long time depending on the size of the animal—more than an hour. A huge number of invertebrates, including all insects and crustaceans, are arthropods, and velvet worms look like they should belong to the phylum Arthropoda. But arthropods always have jointed legs. Velvet worm legs don't have joints. Velvet worms aren't arthropods, although they're closely related. A modern-day velvet worm looks surprisingly like an animal that lived half a billion years ago, Antennacanthopodia, although it lived in the ocean and all velvet worms live on land. Scientists think that the velvet worm's closest living relative is a very small invertebrate called the tardigrade, or water bear, which is Stewie's suggestion. The water bear isn't a bear but a tiny eight-legged animal that barely ever grows larger than 1.5 millimeters. Some species are microscopic. There are about 1,300 known species of water bear and they all look pretty similar, like a plump eight-legged stuffed animal with a tubular mouth that looks a little like a pig's snout. It uses six of its fat little legs for walking and the hind two to cling to the moss and other plant material where it lives. Each leg has four to eight long hooked claws. Like the velvet worm, the tardigrade's legs don't have joints. They can bend wherever they want. Tardigrades have the reputation of being extremophiles, able to withstand incredible heat, cold, radiation, space, and anything else scientists can think of. In reality, it's just a little guy that mostly lives in moss and eats tiny animals or plant material. It is tough, and some species can indeed withstand extreme heat, cold, and so forth, but only for short amounts of time. The tardigrade's success is mainly due to its ability to suspend its metabolism, during which time the water in its body is replaced with a type of protein that protects its cells from damage. It retracts its legs and rearranges its internal organs so it can curl up into a teeny barrel shape, at which point it's called a tun. It needs a moist environment, and if its environment dries out too much, the water bear will automatically go into this suspended state, called cryptobiosis. When conditions improve, the tardigrade returns to normal. Another animal has a similar ability, and it's a suggestion by Thaddeus, the immortal jellyfish. It's barely more than 4 mm across as an adult, and lives throughout much of the world's oceans, especially where it's warm. It eats tiny food, including plankton and fish eggs, which it grabs with its tiny tentacles. Small as it is, the immortal jellyfish has stinging cells in its tentacles. It's mostly transparent, although its stomach is red and an adult jelly has up to 90 white tentacles. The immortal jellyfish starts life as a larva called a planula, which can swim, but when it finds a place it likes, it sticks itself to a rock or shell, or just onto the sea floor. There it develops into a polyp colony, and this colony buds new polyps that are clones of the original. These polyps swim away and grow into jellyfish, which spawn and develop eggs, and those eggs hatch into new planulae. Polyps can live for years, while adult jellies, called medusae, usually only live a few months. But if an adult immortal jellyfish is injured, starving, sick, or otherwise under stress, it can transform back into a polyp. It forms a new polyp colony and buds clones of itself that then grow into adult jellies. It's the only organism known that can revert to an earlier stage of life after reaching sexual maturity–but only an individual at the adult stage, called the medusa stage, can revert to an earlier stage of development, and an individual can only achieve the medusa stage once after it buds from the polyp colony. If it reverts to the polyp stage, it will remain a polyp until it eventually dies, so it's not really immortal but it's still very cool. All the animals we've talked about today have been quite small. Let's finish with a suggestion from Kabir, a deep-sea animal that's really big! It's the giant siphonophore, Praya dubia, which lives in cold ocean water around many parts of the world. It's one of the longest creatures known to exist, but it's not a single animal. Each siphonophore is a colony of tiny animals called zooids, all clones although they perform different functions so the whole colony can thrive. Some zooids help the colony swim, while others have tiny tentacles that grab prey, and others digest the food and disperse the nutrients to the zooids around it. Some siphonophores are small but some can grow quite large. The Portuguese man o' war, which looks like a floating jellyfish, is actually a type of siphonophore. Its stinging tentacles can be 100 feet long, or 30 m. Other siphonophores are long, transparent, gelatinous strings that float through the depths of the sea, and that's the kind the giant siphonophore is. The giant siphonophore can definitely grow longer than 160 feet, or 50 meters, and may grow considerably longer. Siphonophores are delicate, and if they get washed too close to shore or the surface, waves and currents can tear them into pieces. Other than that, and maybe the occasional whale or big fish swimming right through them and breaking them up, there's really no reason why a siphonophore can't just keep on growing and growing and growing… You can find Strange Animals Podcast at strangeanimalspodcast.blubrry.net. That's blueberry without any E's. If you have questions, comments, corrections, or suggestions, email us at strangeanimalspodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!
What is a water bear? And how does it survive space travel? Discover a microscopic animal that might be the toughest creature on earth: the tardigrade!Here's our trail map:If a Water Bear Isn't a Bear, What Is It?How Does a Tardigrade Grow Up?How Is a Tardigrade the Toughest Animal on Earth?How Does God Help Us Endure Hard Things?Eryn's Books:The Nature of Rest: What the Bible and Creation Teach Us About Sabbath Living: https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Rest-Creation-Sabbath-Living/dp/0825448891Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's Creation: https://www.amazon.com/Rooted-Wonder-Nurturing-Familys-Creation/dp/0825447615936 Pennies: Discovering the Joy of Intentional Parenting: https://www.amazon.com/936-Pennies-Discovering-Intentional-Parenting/dp/0764219782Episode Links:America's Story: American History Homeschool Curriculum from a Biblical worldview: https://www.masterbooks.com/americas-story-seriesExplore all of Master Books Christ-centered books, curriculum, and resources: https://www.masterbooks.com/Explore Apologia's award-winning curriculum at https://www.apologia.com/Nat Theo Club Bonus Video: https://erynlynum.com/club-videosGet full lesson guides in the Nat Theo Club: https://erynlynum.com/clubFree Water Bear Coloring Sheet: https://erynlynum.com/what-is-a-tardigrade/Ask your nature question: https://erynlynum.com/askAn excellent video about tardigrades from Answers in Genesis (Used in researching this lesson): https://youtu.be/FcMPpXSAeV4?si=P8PeUmKY1a9ah8SdScriptures Referenced in This Episode:“How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” Psalm 104:24 (NIV)“So don't worry, because I am with you. Don't be afraid, because I am your God.I will make you strong and will help you; I will support you with my right hand that saves you.” Isaiah 41:10 (NCV)“...the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV)“But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever.Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy.” Psalm 5:11 (NLT)“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:44...
This episode, University of Edinburgh PhD candidate Mia Belle Parkinson chats with Dr Paul Rimmer from the University of Cambridge. We talk about what "Experimental Astrophysics" is, what happened after the discovery of phosphene on Venus, and where we might find alien life first (Venus? In our solar system? On exoplanets?).
We did another live show!! I'm not sure how we convinced the Bay Area Science Festival that we are a legitimate podcast, but, hey, people actually showed up to watch the show in-person in San Francisco. We had an extremely tight window, and are famously (infamously?) long-winded, so in this episode special guest Dr Wallace Marshall ponders the nightmare of giant tardigrades, and Trace looks into the availability of gluttony… you know, for science.If you want to have our show on the road to you — send us an email at hello at thatsabsurdshow.com !QUESTIONSTrace: "At an all you can eat buffet, is there some point at which you can just keep eating as much more food as you want without gaining any additional weight or blood sugar or whatever?" from guest Dr. Marshall Wallace of UCSFMarshall: "What would happen if tardigrades were bigger?" from listener KristinaDo you have an absurd question? Maybe it's a silly idea that popped into your head, a shower thought about the nature of reality, or a ridiculous musing about your favorite food? Whatever your question, we want to answer it—tell us!HOW TO ASK A QUESTION
Heute gehen wir in den Zoo, vor und hinter die Absperrung. Mit unserer wunderbaren Gästin Bettina betrachten wir wie in Star Trek die Grenzen verschwimmen und ob überhaupt jemand über anderen steht – gut, ggf. auf der Menükarte.
In this episode, The Fellowship discuss Tardigrades in space. Grab a drink and join us while Brandon regales us with the saga of these tiny little moss piglets. MOSS PIGLETS!*Always Drink Responsibly*Follow Us!Twitter: @drinkingcosmosInstagram: @cosmoswithcosmos Blue Sky: @cosmoswithcosmoshttps://cosmoswithcosmos.com/Credits:Eric Skiff - Resistor Anthems http://EricSkiff.com/musicStars Background Vid Credit - Josu Relax http://relaxing-site.890m.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6dJEAs0-GkTheme Music Remixed by: Ron Proctor https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC__fjzKFm0X0BQWHjYX8Z_wCheck Out!Wildixiahttps://www.etsy.com/shop/Wildixia?ref=profile_headerRon Proctorwww.youtube.com/@MrProctorShowRolling Bluff Planetariumhttps://www.rollingbluffsplanetarium.com/
This episode, University of Edinburgh PhD candidate Mia Belle Frothingham chats with Dr Frances Westall, leader of the Exobiology Group of the CNRS in Orléans (France). We talk about Frances's diverse and inspiring path, the dramatic and divisive period after a Martian meteorite found (ALH84001) in Antarctica in 1984, and the politic motivations behind false pretences of the discovery of extraterrestrial life.
This episode, University of Edinburgh PhD candidate Mia Belle Frothingham chats with Dr Nick Lane, Professor of Evolutionary Biochemistry at the University College London. We talk about Nick's motivation to dethrone the primordial soup theory, what is directed panspermia, and the connection between the origin of life and consciousness.
Ils intéressent les scientifiques pour leurs performances hors du commun et l'un d'eux a même accompagné Thomas Pesquet dans l'espace. Dans « La Story », le podcast d'actualité des « Echos », Pierrick Fay et ses invités nous font découvrir les enjeux de la recherche sur le blob et les tardigrades.Retrouvez l'essentiel de l'actualité économique grâce à notre offre d'abonnement Access : abonnement.lesechos.fr/lastory« La Story » est un podcast des « Echos » présenté par Pierrick Fay. Cet épisode a été enregistré en octobre 2025. Rédaction en chef : Clémence Lemaistre. Invités : Stefano Lupieri (journaliste aux « Echos Week-end ») et Elsa Freyssenet (enquêtrice aux « Echos »). Réalisation : Willy Ganne. Chargée de production et d'édition : Michèle Warnet. Musique : Théo Boulenger. Identité graphique : Upian. Photo : Shutterstock. Sons : « Bienvenue à Zombieland » (2009), JoelFazhari « Don't Look Down the Basement », CNES, Clavier-Music, CNRS, PlayStation, « Le Blob » (1988), « Dragon Ball Z : Le Robot des glaces » (1990). Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.
Today we hear an interview with director Ash Hanson of PlaceBase Productions and the Moab Theater Project. Her musical, Leaving A Trace, debuted in Moab in September. The original, site-specific production took place in the Sand Flats Recreation Area and involved more than 75 local cast and crew members. In the interview, Hanson discusses her inspiration for the musical and the power of theater to build community. - Show Notes - • The Moab Theater Project https://www.instagram.com/moabtheaterproject/ • Leaving A Trace - The Radiodrama & Full Cast List https://www.kzmu.org/leaving-a-trace-the-radiodrama/ Photo: Ash Hanson poses with the Tardigrade, played by Sam Van Wetter, on the set of Leaving A Trace. Photo by David Newkirk.
Consider human ecological loneliness and our longing for reconnection with all creation. What healing is available in an era defined by environmental loss and exploitation? Can we strengthen the fragile connection between modern society and the space we inhabit?“Loneliness is the symptom that desires its cure.”In this episode Macie Bridge welcomes writer, translator, and poet Laura Marris to reflect on her essay collection The Age of Loneliness, a meditation on solitude, grief, and the ecology of attention. Marris considers what it means to live through an era defined by environmental loss and human disconnection, yet still filled with wonder. She shares stories of tardigrades that endure extreme conditions, how airports reveal our attitudes toward birds, and the personal loss of her father that awakened her to “noticing absence.” Together, they explore how ecological loneliness might transform into longing for reconnection—not only among humans, but with the creatures and landscapes that share our world. Marris suggests that paying attention, naming, and noticing are acts of restoration. “Loneliness,” she writes, “is the symptom that desires its cure.”Episode Highlights“Loneliness is the symptom that desires its cure.”“There are ways, even very simple ones, that individuals can do to make the landscape around them more hospitable.”“I don't believe that humans are hardwired to exploit. There have been many societies with long traditions of mutual benefit and coexistence.”“It's really hard to notice an absence sometimes. There's something curative about noticing absences that have been around but not acknowledged.”“Ecological concerns are not a luxury. It's actually really important to hold the line on them.”Helpful Links and ResourcesThe Age of Loneliness by Laura Marris — https://www.graywolfpress.org/books/age-lonelinessUnderland by Robert Macfarlane — https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393242140E.O. Wilson on “Beware the Age of Loneliness” — https://www.economist.com/news/2013/11/18/beware-the-age-of-lonelinessAbout Laura MarrisLaura Marris is a writer and translator whose work spans poetry, essays, and literary translation. She is the author of The Age of Loneliness and has translated Albert Camus's The Plague for Vintage Classics. She teaches creative writing and translation at the University at Buffalo.Show NotesThe Ecology of Loneliness and LongingLaura Marris discusses The Age of Loneliness—“Eremocene”—a term coined by E.O. Wilson to describe a speculative future of environmental isolation.Fascination with poetic form and environmental prose emerging during the pandemic.Ecological loneliness arises from biodiversity loss, but also offers the chance to reimagine more hospitable human landscapes.Extreme Tolerance and the Human ConditionMarris describes tardigrades as metaphors for endurance without thriving—organisms that survive extremes by pausing metabolism.“How extremely tolerant are humans, and what are our ways of trying to be more tolerant to extreme conditions?”Air conditioning becomes an emblem of “extreme tolerance,” mirroring human adaptation to a destabilized environment.Birds, Airports, and the Language of BlameMarris explores how modern air travel enforces ecological loneliness by eradicating other species from its space.She reveals hidden networks of wildlife managers and the Smithsonian's Feather Identification Lab.Reflects on the “Miracle on the Hudson,” where language wrongly cast geese as antagonists—“as if the birds wanted to hit the plane.”Loneliness, Solitude, and Longing“Loneliness is solitude attached to longing that feels painful.”Marris distinguishes solitude's generativity from loneliness's ache, suggesting longing can be a moral compass toward reconnection.Personal stories of her father's bird lists intertwine grief and ecological noticing.Ground Truthing and Community ScienceMarris introduces “ground truthing”—people verifying ecological data firsthand.She celebrates local volunteers counting birds, horseshoe crabs, and plants as acts of hope.“Community care applies to human and more-than-human communities alike.”Toxic Landscapes and Ecological AftermathMarris recounts Buffalo's industrial scars and ongoing restoration along the Niagara River.“Toxins don't stop at the edge of the landfill—they keep going.”She reflects on beauty, resilience, and the return of eagles to post-industrial lands.Attention and Wonder as Advocacy“A lot of advocacy stems from paying local attention.”Small, attentive acts—like watching sparrows dust bathe—are forms of resistance against despair.Cure, Absence, and Continuing the ConversationMarris resists the idea of a final “cure” for loneliness.“Cure could be something ongoing, a process, a change in your life.”Her annual bird counts become a continuing dialogue with her late father.Wisdom for the Lonely“Take the time to notice what it is you're lonely for.”She calls for transforming loneliness into longing for a more hospitable, interdependent world.Production NotesThis podcast featured Laura MarrisInterview by Macie BridgeEdited and Produced by Evan RosaProduction Assistance by Alexa Rollow, Emily Brookfield, and Hope ChunA Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/aboutSupport For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give
This episode, University of Edinburgh PhD candidate Mia Belle Frothingham chats with Dr Christopher Cowie, philosopher and associate professor at the University of Durham. We talk about Chris's interesting work in the intersection between philosophy and astrobiology, what's behind some claims of alien spacecraft in recent news, and how astrobiologists should adopt a different framework for the search for life.
Un fait scientifique tellement bizarre qu'il a l'air faux... sauf qu'il est rigoureusement vrai ! Ce matin : Le tardigrade, a une allure de sac d'aspirateur mais lui, il est increvable ! Ecoutez Qui l'eût cru ? avec Coralie Lutinier du 18 octobre 2025.Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
ASTHMATIC TARDIGRADE INSTRUMENTAL by Rock Band Land
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In this special Tartan Tardigrade episode, Mia Belle Frothingham, PhD candidate at the University of Edinburgh, interviews 5 MSc students currently in the Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences MSc at Edinburgh. We will learn about their individual interest in astrobiology, what astrobiology question they are working on, and how the programme has benefitted their long term career goals.
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This episode, University of Edinburgh PhD candidate Mia Belle Frothingham chats with Dr Graeme Ackland, professor of computer science at the University of Edinburgh. We talk about Dr Ackland's unusual path to astrobiology in regards to hypermolecules, how it feels to see your experiment produce something cooler than you expected, and his work in various fields and projects (including COVID-19) and what it taught him.
These tiny but tough life forms may help astronauts survive in the harsh environment of space.
In the search for life on Mars, Europa, Titan, and elsewhere in the universe astro-biologists are scouring the Earth for creatures tough enough to flourish under really difficult conditions. So far the leading species are the Tardigrades commonly known as water bears or moss piglets.
What will life be like on other planets? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice explore the origins of life on alien planets and extremophiles right here on Earth with astrobiologist Kennda Lynch. (Originally Aired February 22, 2022)NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://www.startalkradio.net/show/alien-worlds-and-extremophiles-with-kennda-lynch/Thanks to our Patrons Alex Chadwick, Eric Gross, Tamara Michael, Gerald Johnson, Jordan Shelley, Brendan Barbieri, David Bell, Costa Cad Creations, Tim Costella, and Adam Baker for supporting us this week.Photo Credit: Sharanbhurke, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of StarTalk Radio ad-free and a whole week early.Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.
Matters Microbial #92: Microbial Metabolism in Extreme Places May 22, 2025 Today, Dr. Valerie DeAnda Torres, Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Cell Science at the University of Florida (and National Geographic Explorer), joins the #QualityQuorum to tell us about the research her team does, studying the evolution of metabolic pathways in extreme environments . . . and why these are important to geochemical cycling. Host: Mark O. Martin Guest: Valerie DeAnda Torres Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify Become a patron of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode The Etsy vendor making the beautiful microbial pins I have mentioned. A link to Sebastian Cocobia's site where the beautiful E. coli strains I referenced can be obtained. The beauty and mystery of Paenibacillus colonies. A video showing a colony of Myxococcus consuming a colony of E. coli. A fun video of tardigrades singing “Happy birthday” by a former undergraduate student of mine, Dr. Jake Shaffer. The National Geographic Explorer program, which includes Dr. DeAnda Torres. The deep sea submersible Alvin, in which Dr. DeAnda Torres has dived! An overview of methanogenesis, one of the pathways that Dr. DeAnda Torres' research group studies. A review of biogeochemical cycles in the deep ocean. The work of my former undergraduate research student, Dr. Paula Welander, on membrane biosignatures in ancient rocks. A recent review of the Asgard archaea, that may be our ancient ancestors. Some recent work by Dr. DeAnda Torres and collaborators on the Asgard archaea. One of the research cruises in which Dr. DeAnda Torres participated. During one cruise that included an Alvin dive to a hydrothermal vent, Dr. DeAnda Torres and scientists working with her described their work in this livestream partially in Spanish. Dr. DeAnda Torres will be part of some upcoming collaborative research cruises, seen here. Here is an article and video describing some of the collaborative work Dr. DeAnda Torres carries out, studying microbial breakdown of PFAS chemicals in marine sediment. A link to the faculty website of Dr. DeAnda Torres. A link to the research website of the DeAnda Torres group. Intro music is by Reber Clark Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com
Send us a textDerby Ponies. Sperm Racing. Tardigrades. Candyman. LARPer Attacks Cop. TDG vs. a Gorilla.Noli te nimium graviter ferre et risum habereThe Days Grimm Podcast[The Days Grimm Podcast Links]- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheDaysGrimm- Our link tree: linktr.ee/Thedaysgrimm- GoFundMe account for The Days Grimm: https://gofund.me/02527e7c [The Days Grimm is brought to you by]Sadness & ADHD (non-medicated)
Welcome to the thirty-first episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! In this episode, Emma and Robi share news about Czech beavers saving taxpayer time and money, Robi goes on a thought tangent about nature friendly farming in the UK and Emma talks about how vicuña poo can create biodiversity hotspots as glaciers retreat. Emma and Robi's animals of the week range from the very large (Koobi Fora Giant Stork) to the very small (Tardigrades). For their local conservation stories, Robi talks about the First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, ruling out the legal reintroduction of lynx into the wild in Scotland. Emma talks about an exciting new National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme being rolled out across the UK. And finally onto global conservation stories, where Emma talks about a project looking to bring back the thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) from extinction using futuristic gene editing. Robi ends by talking about the new African Rhinoceros Conservation Framework, which lays out best practice guidelines for effectively conserving rhinos across the continent. About the hosts: Robi Watkinson is a Conservation Biologist and wildlife filmmaker specialising in the spatial and movement ecology of large carnivores, camera trapping survey methods, rewilding, metapopulation dynamics and conservation planning. He has an MSc in Conservation Biology from the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, and the Institute of Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town. He is based between Cape Town and London, and has strong interests in equitable and inclusive conservation, palaeontology and wildlife taxonomy and evolution!Emma Hodson is a Zoologist and wildlife content creator, currently working in the community and engagement team at Avon Wildlife Trust. Emma's role as a Wildlife Champions Coordinator involves supporting and upskilling people to take action for nature in their local communities. Emma has experience in remote wildlife fieldwork, and has been part of Arctic fox, macaw and cetacean research teams in Iceland, Peru and Wales respectively. She has also been involved in animal care and rehabilitation work in Costa Rica and South Africa. Emma is particularly passionate about the interface between community engagement and wildlife monitoring, and enjoys running workshops and giving talks on topics including camera trapping, beaver ecology and rewilding. Follow up links: You can watch "Rewilding A Nation" for free on WaterBear by following this link: https://www.waterbear.com/watch/rewilding-a-nation You can follow more of our weird and wonderful wildlife adventures on instagram: @zoologyramblingspodcast & @robi_watkinson_wildlife & @emma_hodson_wildlife
Kovi and Benjamin finally get a moment to themselves without having to entertain yet ANOTHER amazing guest. "What should we talk about, Kovi," Benjamin asked. "Bugs," Kovi snapped back. He wasn't serious, but Benjamin was. So now we have an episode about bugs in space - both living critters brought up for experiments, or software bugs that either almost, or did, bring on an early end to many a mission.
Tom Bilyeu and Producer Drew explore the transformative potential of AI and its implications for the future of science, health, and societal infrastructure. The conversation begins with an exploration of the exciting possibility that AI might cure all diseases in the next decade, introducing a new era of health technology. They delve into the details of a breakthrough Google AI model and its potential impact on scientific progress, including its capability to transform the medical field, specifically in areas like cancer treatment. Throughout the discussion, Tom and Drew examine the complexities of human biology, the concept of "n of 1," and how AI can redefine our understanding of individual health needs. They touch on the potential contributions of quantum computing and biological feats such as Tardigrades' resistance to radiation. This segment sets the stage for an in-depth examination of how AI and technological advancements are reshaping our world. SHOWNOTES 00:00 AI: Addressing Humanity's Toughest Challenges 03:39 "AI Insights and N of 1" 07:36 Quantum Computing's Future in Biology 10:39 Cautious Approach to DNA Alteration 14:21 "Starship Explosions: Progress Through Failure" 17:37 Advancements in Defense Manufacturing 22:14 Economic Diplomacy and Sanctions 25:18 Economic Strategies Against Russia 29:13 Europe's Commitment to Ukraine Defense 31:27 Debate Essential for Europe's Security 35:34 Bitcoin's Growing Credibility Signal 36:36 Bitcoin's Future and Government Spending 42:26 Rise of Entrepreneurial AI Creators 43:48 Streaming's Shift: Rise of Community Content CHECK OUT OUR SPONSORS Range Rover: Range Rover: Explore the Range Rover Sport at https://rangerover.com/us/sport Audible: Sign up for a free 30 day trial at https://audible.com/IMPACTTHEORY Vital Proteins: Get 20% off by going to https://www.vitalproteins.com and entering promo code IMPACT at check out Thive Market: Go to https:thrivemarket.com/impact for 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift! ITU: Ready to breakthrough your biggest business bottleneck? Apply to work with me 1:1 - https://impacttheory.co/SCALE Kettle & Fire: Get 20% off your first order at https://kettleandfire.com/impact with code IMPACT Netsuite: Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning at https://NetSuite.com/THEORY Found: Try Found for FREE at https://found.com/impact ********************************************************************** Do you need my help? STARTING a business: Join me inside ZERO TO FOUNDER here SCALING a business: Click here to see if you qualify Get my battle-tested strategies and insights delivered weekly to your inbox: sign up here. ********************************************************************** If you're serious about leveling up your life, I urge you to check out my new podcast, Tom Bilyeu's Mindset Playbook —a goldmine of my most impactful episodes on mindset, business, and health. Trust me, your future self will thank you. ********************************************************************** Join me live on my Twitch stream. I'm live daily from 6:30 to 8:30 am PT at www.twitch.tv/tombilyeu ********************************************************************** LISTEN TO IMPACT THEORY AD FREE + BONUS EPISODES on APPLE PODCASTS: apple.co/impacttheory ********************************************************************** FOLLOW TOM: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tombilyeu/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tombilyeu?lang=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/tombilyeu YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TomBilyeu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode, The University of Edinburgh PhD candidate Mia Belle Frothingham chats with Dr Katherine Baxter from the University of Glasgow. We talk Dr Baxter's innovation in bio-imaging, the impact of microgravity on skin microorganisms, and what the biggest challenges we might face in maintaining astronaut health in future missions.
Thanks to Tim and Mia who suggested one of this week's animals! Further reading: Genomic insights into the evolutionary origin of Myxozoa within Cnidaria A tardigrade, photo taken with an electron microscope because these little guys are incredibly tiny: Show transcript: Welcome to Strange Animals Podcast. I'm your host, Kate Shaw. This week we're going to talk about two microscopic or almost microscopic animals, one suggested by Mia and Tim, the other one I just learned about myself. We'll start with Mia and Tim's suggestion, the water bear, also known as the tardigrade. We've talked about it before but there's always more to learn about an animal. The water bear isn't a bear at all but a tiny eight-legged animal that barely ever grows larger than 1.5 millimeters. Some species are microscopic. There are about 1,300 known species of water bear and they all look pretty similar. It looks for all the world like a plump eight-legged stuffed animal made out of couch upholstery. It uses six of its fat little legs for walking and the hind two to cling to the moss and other plant material where it lives. Each leg has four to eight long hooked claws. It has a tubular mouth that looks a little like a pig's snout. An extremophile is an organism adapted to live in a particular environment that's considered extreme, like undersea volcanic vents or inside rocks deep below the ocean floor. Tardigrades aren't technically extremophiles, but they are incredibly tough. Researchers have found tardigrades in environments such as the gloppy ooze at the bottom of the ocean and the icy peaks of the Himalayas. It can survive massive amounts of radiation, dehydration for up to five years, pressures even more intense than at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, temperatures as low as -450 Fahrenheit, or -270 Celsius, heat up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, or 150 Celsius, and even outer space. It's survived on Earth for at least half a billion years. Mostly, though, it just lives in moss. Not every tardigrade is able to do everything we just talked about. They're tough, but they're not invulnerable, and different species of tardigrade are good at withstanding different extreme environments. Many species can withstand incredible heat, but only for half an hour or less. Long-term temperature increases, even if only a little warmer than what it's used to, can cause the tardigrade to die. Most species of tardigrade eat plant material or bacteria, but a few eat smaller species of tardigrade. It has no lungs since it just absorbs air directly into its body by gas exchange. It has a teeny brain, teeny eyes, and teeny sensory bristles on its body. Its legs have no joints. Its tubular mouth contains tube-like structures called stylets that are secreted from glands on either side of the mouth. Every time the tardigrade molts its cuticle, or body covering, it loses the stylets too and has to regrow them. In some species, the only time the tardigrade poops is when it molts. The poop is left behind in the molted cuticle. The tardigrade's success is largely due to its ability to suspend its metabolism, during which time the water in its body is replaced with a type of protein that protects its cells from damage. It retracts its legs and rearranges its internal organs so it can curl up into a teeny barrel shape, at which point it's called a tun. It needs a moist environment, and if its environment dries out too much, the water bear will automatically go into this suspended state, called cryptobiosis. Tests in 2007 and 2011 that exposed tardigrades to outer space led to some speculation that tardigrades might actually be from outer space, and that they, or organisms that gave rise to them, might have hitched a ride on a comet or some other heavenly body and ended up on earth. But this isn't actually the case, since genetic studies show that tardigrades fit neatly into what we know of animal development and evolution. In other words,
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 2-27-2025: Dr. Dawn addresses the alarming news of the first US measles fatality in almost 20 years, explaining how the disease led to the death of a healthy grade school child in Texas amid an outbreak of 124 cases, with 80% affecting unvaccinated children. She warns about subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a delayed but fatal complication of measles infection that occurs in approximately 1 in 600 babies who contract measles before vaccination. The show highlights a community health survey about the Moss Landing battery fire, encouraging listeners to participate and share any symptoms experienced after the January incident. Responding to an email from Philadelphia, Dr. Dawn discusses adaptogens in mushroom coffee, recommending rotating different mushroom varieties to prevent tachyphylaxis, where the body becomes unreactive to the beneficial compounds. A caller asks about German measles (rubella) and its relation to regular measles (rubeola), with Dr. Dawn explaining they are completely different viruses offering no cross-immunity. Dr. Dawn explores fascinating research on tardigrades (water bears), explaining how scientists extracted their damage suppressor protein to protect mice from radiation, potentially benefiting cancer patients and space exploration. A caller asks about health impacts of indoor gas heating and cooking, with Dr. Dawn confirming that gas appliances produce harmful nanoparticles but suggesting heat pumps as a cleaner alternative. She discusses nature-inspired medical adhesives derived from mussels and mucus that work in wet environments, offering potential solutions for surgical glues, implant bonding, and infection prevention. The show examines innovative stool analysis techniques that can accurately detect dietary patterns from DNA in feces, potentially transforming nutrition science by eliminating unreliable food diaries. Dr. Dawn addresses an email about polyphenols in olive oil, highlighting their anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular benefits, and responds to Amy's email about a hand lump, suggesting that it is most likely a volar retinacular cyst. She concludes by exploring DNA origami technology, where scientists create microscopic structures that can bind to specific molecules, potentially revolutionizing medical testing through highly sensitive biosensors.
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 2-27-2025: Dr. Dawn addresses the alarming news of the first US measles fatality in almost 20 years, explaining how the disease led to the death of a healthy grade school child in Texas amid an outbreak of 124 cases, with 80% affecting unvaccinated children. She warns about subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a delayed but fatal complication of measles infection that occurs in approximately 1 in 600 babies who contract measles before vaccination. The show highlights a community health survey about the Moss Landing battery fire, encouraging listeners to participate and share any symptoms experienced after the January incident. Responding to an email from Philadelphia, Dr. Dawn discusses adaptogens in mushroom coffee, recommending rotating different mushroom varieties to prevent tachyphylaxis, where the body becomes unreactive to the beneficial compounds. A caller asks about German measles (rubella) and its relation to regular measles (rubeola), with Dr. Dawn explaining they are completely different viruses offering no cross-immunity. Dr. Dawn explores fascinating research on tardigrades (water bears), explaining how scientists extracted their damage suppressor protein to protect mice from radiation, potentially benefiting cancer patients and space exploration. A caller asks about health impacts of indoor gas heating and cooking, with Dr. Dawn confirming that gas appliances produce harmful nanoparticles but suggesting heat pumps as a cleaner alternative. She discusses nature-inspired medical adhesives derived from mussels and mucus that work in wet environments, offering potential solutions for surgical glues, implant bonding, and infection prevention. The show examines innovative stool analysis techniques that can accurately detect dietary patterns from DNA in feces, potentially transforming nutrition science by eliminating unreliable food diaries. Dr. Dawn addresses an email about polyphenols in olive oil, highlighting their anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular benefits, and responds to Amy's email about a hand lump, suggesting that it is most likely a volar retinacular cyst. She concludes by exploring DNA origami technology, where scientists create microscopic structures that can bind to specific molecules, potentially revolutionizing medical testing through highly sensitive biosensors.
North Korean hackers allegedly pull off a record $1.5B crypto heist, an international watchdog says Iran has increased its near-weapons grade uranium stockpile, the UK and Irish governments will consider formal paramilitary engagement, Donald Trump says Volodymyr Zelenskyy will sign a Ukraine minerals agreement on Friday, South Korea's birth rate rises for the first time in nine years, Pres. Trump unveils a $5M “Gold Card” visa, while the House GOP passes Trump's budget blueprint, the US Dept. of Agriculture commits $1B to fight bird flu, Chile declares an emergency after a nationwide power outage, and a study suggests that tardigrade protein shows promise in cancer care. Sources: www.verity.news
Shot Show Re-Cap Day 25.11 Let me down bad! Here's why
This episode, The University of Edinburgh PhD candidate Mia Belle Frothingham chats with Dr Andrew Bissette, the Editor in Chief of Cell Reports Physical Science. We talk about what a "recovering chemist" means, what to expect when submitting a paper and publishing in a journal, and how Dr Bissette sees the discoveries in astrobiology impact the work in chemistry.
Be part of a game-changing conversation with Kris McKenna, a forward-thinking innovator driven to improve soldier safety through technological advancements. Additionally, he is spearheading the development of tactical fragrances that help you stay fresh and composed, regardless of the situation. Listen in as we unpack his visionary goals, objectives, and purpose for @tacticianfragrances and @tardigrade.industries .
Be part of a game-changing conversation with Kris McKenna, a forward-thinking innovator driven to improve soldier safety through technological advancements. Additionally, he is spearheading the development of tactical fragrances that help you stay fresh and composed, regardless of the situation. Listen in as we unpack his visionary goals, objectives, and purpose for @tacticianfragrances and @tardigrade.industries .
The tiny animals called Tardigrades are virtually indestructible. These fascinating creatures--also known as little water bears or moss piglets--possess abilities that the concept of "survival of the fittest" can't explain, and thus, are one of many examples of over-design in nature.
Les tardigrades et leurs "super-pouvoirs" Les brèves du jour A la recherche de la bête en nous Les lombrics et leur stockage de CO2 Une impression de "déjà-vu"
Be part of a game-changing conversation with Kris McKenna, a forward-thinking innovator driven to improve soldier safety through technological advancements. Additionally, he is spearheading the development of tactical fragrances that help you stay fresh and composed, regardless of the situation. Listen in as we unpack his visionary goals, objectives, and purpose for @tacticianfragrances and @tardigrade.industries .
Tardigrade or Tortellini by Rock Band Land
Hey y'all! Join us as we discuss the My Hero Academia episode "His Start", including Shoto's Studio Ghibli hair, farting fire, and a Science Corner about Hawks' Quirk. Want more? Visit our website, myheroanalysis.com. Thanks for listening! Donate to Hurricane Relief Donate to Palestine Donate to Sudan
Earth is the only planet in our solar system, our galaxy, and potentially our entire universe that sustains life. Us humans believe we're practically indestructible, but it turns out there's a unique creature tougher than us that can't be killed. Meet the tardigrade, one of the most resilient animals in the world – and possibly the universe. TIMESTAMPS It's also called the water bear. 1:18 It's really small. 2:20 It's really, really old. 3:08 It can live anywhere. 4:02 It's (mostly) harmless. 5:00 It's practically unkillable. 6:04 It survives extinction events. 10:45 It might survive on another planet. 12:33 Music: https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/... SUMMARY -A tardigrade is commonly called a water bear because it is most often found in water, where it prefers to dwell, and because of its slow gait, which resembles that of a bear. -The biggest full-grown tardigrade is about 0.5 mm or about 1/50 of an inch, which is smaller than flea and tick larva. -The earliest fossils we have of the tardigrade species date back to the Cambrian period, some 530 million years ago. -Tardigrades have been found on the high-altitude peaks of the Himalayas, in deep trenches in the ocean, in mud volcanoes, and in tropical rainforests. -These unique creatures move into a new environment and help to establish an ecosystem, not unlike a gold prospector setting up shop out in the frontier. -Many tardigrades can enter a dehydrated state to survive almost any dangerous outside environment. They curl up into a barrel shape, their bodies become glass-like, and they put themselves in stasis, during which time they're pretty much indestructible. -The tardigrade has survived all possible extinction events, from the Ordovician-Silurian extinction 440 million years ago all the way up to the extinction events that took out the dinosaurs. -The conditions on Mars are within the tardigrades' capabilities to survive, assuming that a sufficient amount of water exists to support them. Subscribe to Bright Side : https://goo.gl/rQTJZz ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Social Media: Facebook: / brightside Instagram: / brightgram 5-Minute Crafts Youtube: https://www.goo.gl/8JVmuC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more videos and articles visit: http://www.brightside.me/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Pastor Gina preaches as we continue in the season of Advent. Join us for worship every Sunday morning at 8:00, 9:30, or 11:00 am, and live-streamed on our website at 9:30 am.
Headlines that Canadian uranium deposits could make it a nuclear superpower has the Unexpected Elements team musing on all manner of superpowers. Tardigrades are an obvious candidate – boil them, freeze them, irradiate them in space, these adorable creatures are almost indestructible. We also meet Dr Deep Sea, Joseph Dituri, from the University of South Florida, who lived under water for 100 days and swears by it as a boost for our health. As the leader of the free world goes on an Amazon jungle tour, we talk tiny frogs, giant frogs and radiation tolerant frogs. We also hear how cancer survivors may have a secret superpower and how we've co-opted plants superpowers for medicines. Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Camilla Mota and Affelia Wibisono Producers: Imaan Moin, Harrison Lewis and Dan Welsh Sound engineer: Gavin Wong
Real Life Devon shared about their recent visit to Fredericksburg, aka “Texas wine country,” where the German settlers brought their food and flair. While there were tempting wine tastings, Devon was not about to wait 30 minutes for a sip. Oh, and they're currently battling a cold, which sounded something like SNNNOOORRRRTTT. Meanwhile, Steven recapped an out-of-town trip that included a stop at Black Diamond Games in Concord, CA, where he picked up the RPG Mothership and The Electric State. On the D&D front, Steven is on the hunt for elf druid miniatures for his daughter's character. Ben, on the other hand, discovered Walkabout Mini Golf on iOS, which offers touch-to-putt and AR modes—sounds like a hole-in-one! He also dove into the world of Star Trek fan edits, sharing a link to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Season 0. However, Ben admitted to only watching Voyager once (FOR SHAME!), while his son has decided Worf is the best (double shame!). Devon, ever resourceful, uses Star Trek as a threat to keep his kids in line. Future or Now Ben stumbled into the world of web design and shared the new CSS logo—designed with a squircle, of all things. The logo's hex color, #663399, is known as “Rebecca Purple” and has a meaningful backstory. Devon switched gears to science, geeking out about tardigrades (a.k.a. water bears), which are radiation-resistant extremophiles with 15,000 known species. These tiny creatures can repair their DNA after radiation damage and even borrow genes through horizontal gene transfer. Talk about resilient! For more details, check out this article. For some sci-fi vibes, we also pondered if the Netflix show Away about going to Mars might scratch your space-loving itch. Steven wrapped up this section with a discussion on the psychology of money. A recent study from ScienceDaily suggests that digital money doesn't create the same emotional connection as physical cash. Devon thinks of cash as “free money,” while Steven questions if digital currency even feels real. Book Club This week, we read Ray Bradbury's The Crowd, a story rich with layers of meaning. It sparked discussions about collectivism vs. individuality, Red Scare-era anti-communism, and a lingering mystery: are they aliens, ghosts, or demons? Regardless of the interpretation, we thoroughly enjoyed this one! For next week, we're diving into Frederik Pohl's short story The High Test. You can check it out here.
Hello Listeners, As we said in the last episode, this episode is all about our interview with Ms.Melissa from the Sacramento Zoo. We hope you enjoy the episode. If you have been liking the podcast so far, or want to leave feedback, feel free to write in the comment section. If you have a request for an episode (you may recall some listeners requested for the Tardigrades episode) then make sure you email us at dapotatosisters@gmail.com! Thanks, Da Potato Sisters
Join our host, Tony Kennette, our staff soil scientist Ruben Parilla, and guests William Padilla-Brown and Jake Tulius in a discussion about Soil Microbes & Citizen Science! From tardigrades, and algea, to mycorrhizal networks, this crew will get you salivating for successful soil! This Episode has been brought to you by MDAR PERTINENT LINKS: https://microbiometer.com/ www.R-Soil.com https://www.mycofest.net/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLLc79M4OqQ www.nofa.org https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b1P8jCbjIg&list=OLAK5uy_mmECE0x8KPzkhCh_pDZmjnYb3GV7CpYi0 www.TonyAndTheTrees.com
00:48 Rebuilding mental health after the floodsResearchers have been investigating the best ways to help people deal with trauma in the wake of a climate disaster. In April and May devastating floods surged across Rio Grande do Sul in the South of Brazil, affecting two million people and killing hundreds. As people try to put their lives back together scientists have been conducting surveys and investigating how to make sure that any mental health issues don't become persistent. We hear from some of the affected people and researchers in the region.This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center.News Feature: How to recover when a climate disaster destroys your city 13:48 Research HighlightsA new way to make ultra-heavy elements, and how some plankton swim by blowing up like a balloon.Research Highlight: Atomic smash-ups hold promise of record-breaking elementsResearch Highlight: This plankton balloons in size to soar upwards through the water16:54 What are your thoughts on the US election?Nature has conducted a poll of its readers to get a sense of what is on researchers' minds in the run up to the US election. Overwhelmingly, the survey respondents identified as researchers and reported that they supported Vice President Harris (86%). Many also voiced concerns about a possible victory for former President Trump, saying that they would consider changing where they would live if he wins. Reporter Jeff Tollefson tells us more about the results and what the election means for US science.News: The US election is monumental for science, say Nature readers — here's why27:07 Briefing ChatThe possible benefits of ‘poo milkshakes' for newborns, and how Tardigrades can withstand incredibly high levels of radiation.Nature: ‘Poo milkshake' boosts the microbiome of c-section babiesNature: New species of tardigrade reveals secrets of radiation-resisting powersSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What are tardigrades, and how did they end up on the moon? I had the pleasure of exploring the evolution, resilience, and potential use cases of these microscopic creatures that can survive in extreme environments with Daniel Whiteson and Jorge Cham from Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe. Enjoy! — Key Takeaways: 00:00 Intro 01:52 Are tardigrades colonizing the moon? 04:12 A little bit about myself 08:37 Ask the wrong expert 15:03 Why are tardigrades so terrifying? 16:50 Their extreme survival abilities 26:18 How they ended up on the moon 28:29 Can they survive on the moon? 33:41 Outro — Additional resources: ➡️ Check out Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe:
Smaller than you can imagine. Potato-shaped. Mysterious. Romantic. And tough enough to survive the vacuum of space or decades of desiccation. Join professor and confirmed Tardigradologist Dr. Paul Bartels to saunter into a microscopic wonderland of bizarrely long naps, foreign genomes, moon landings, glow-in-the-dark moss piglets, cryptobiosis, kitten claws, knife mouths, balloon butts, spiders on Mars, splicing tardigrade DNA into ours, debunking flim-flam and the friends living in your gutters. Follow Dr. Bartels on ResearchGate and Google ScholarA donation went to the Xerces SocietyMore episode sources and linksSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesOther episodes you may enjoy: Bryology (MOSS) with Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer, Planariology (VERY COOL WORMS, I PROMISE), Benthopelagic Nematology (DEEP SEA WORMS), Radiology (X-RAY VISION), Microbiology (GUT BIOME), FIELD TRIP: My Butt, a Colonoscopy Ride Along & How-To, Diplopodology (MILLIPEDES & CENTIPEDES), Saurology (LIZARDS), Astrobiology (ALIENS), UFOlogy (UNEXPLAINED AERIAL PHENOMENA), Etymology (WORD ORIGINS), Ursinology (BEARS), Carnivore Ecology (LIONS, TIGERS, & BEARS)Sponsors of OlogiesTranscripts and bleeped episodesBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow @Ologies on Instagram and XFollow @AlieWard on Instagram and XEditing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jacob ChaffeeManaging Director: Susan HaleScheduling Producer: Noel DilworthTranscripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. DwyerTheme song by Nick Thorburn
In today's episode Brenna talks about one of her favourite organisms the tardigrade. We dive into what they are and how they work. Spoiler: They're really freaking cool. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices