No, this has nothing to do with measuring the academic proficiency of those mentally challenged (though for some reason, Tea Baggers come to mind). Tardigrades - also known as "Water Bears" - are microscopic polyextremophiles, and they can survive incredible extremes, like a decade without water, near absolute zero as well as 300 degree temperatures, and even 10 days in the vacuum of space. They're one of the few - if not only - microorganisms that look kind of cute.
Pretty hearty little beasts. The next closing thing to a survival rate like that seems to be the political careers of Republicans swimming in ethics violations (since no one really seems to care).


Pretty hearty little beasts. The next closing thing to a survival rate like that seems to be the political careers of Republicans swimming in ethics violations (since no one really seems to care).

tardigrades (water bears) from Goldstein Lab on Vimeo.
