Apathy Curve: Water Bears in Space!

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Tuesday, September 09, 2014

Water Bears in Space!

Well, knock me over with a space feather: they're actually doing something useful -- or at least interesting -- on the ISS. Recent experiments have shown that some animals and bacteria can actually survive extended exposure to hard vacuum and radiation. Water bears and lichen are the two current record holders. As the article points out, this is an interesting discovery in light of the "panspermia" hypothesis popular a century ago.

So the next time you watch Andromeda Strain, (the real one, not that crappy recent remake), it's worth considering that Michael Crichton may turn out to be as much prophet as he was artist.

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