Behold the Mighty Water Bear

Water bears, also known as tardigrades, can survive boiling, freezing, the vacuum of space, and years of desiccation. Biologist Bob Goldstein, of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, describes water bears and explains why he studies them.

Originally published on ScienceFriday.com on January 23, 2009

Credits

Music by Geoffrey Raines/Bardo Music. Images/footage by Bob Goldstein, Willow Gabriel, Victoria Madden Anthony Flemming, and Michel Verolet

Meet the Producer

About Flora Lichtman

Flora Lichtman was the host of the podcast Every Little Thing. She’s a former Science Friday multimedia producer.