Tardigrades can survive in extreme environments, but a new study shows they're not indestructible.
Scientists found these creatures couldn't survive speeds above 2,000 mph when shot out of a gun.
The researchers shot canisters full of tardigrades out of a high-speed gun at various speeds to see whether the creatures could survive the pressure of each resulting impact.
After being shot out at speeds under 900 meters per second (about 2,000 mph) — that's faster than your average bullet — the tardigrades could be revived.
But if tardigrades can't survive the pressures of a collision with our moon, it's unlikely they could survive a meteorite impact with another planet, the study authors wrote.
Persons:
Alejandra Traspas, Traspas, Megumu Tsujimoto, tardigrades
Organizations:
Service, Queen Mary University, of, NASA
Locations:
Wall, Silicon, London, Israeli