Tardigrades! The Water Bears and Moss Piglets of the Micoworld!

Hello all!

I hope your turkey day is delicious and wonderfully taste. I don't know about you all, but I can't wait to eat some potatoes, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie.

And talking about modified and not to be consumed, have you heard about this cute little critter? It's called a Tardigrade. They look like a horrifying stuffed animal. Just look at the one below, all deliciously funny, and fallen over.

http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2013/02/22/1226583/284420-tardigrade-water-bear.jpg

Of course some people don't find the Tardigrade as fluffy and exciting as the rest of us, as seen below in it's other various forms of unsettlement. Don't worry, they really aren't that big.

http://pre14.deviantart.net/5542/th/pre/f/2009/316/a/2/attack_of_the_tardigrades_by_ramul.jpg

http://redspaceblues.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/night.jpg

and this one!

http://pre10.deviantart.net/7af1/th/pre/f/2013/210/f/d/tardigrade_apocalypse_by_ramul-d6fqlct.jpg

As Monty Python would say, look at the bones! Or perhaps this is  more a Jaws theme as it destroys your boat, your livelihood, and eats your soul.

https://imageshack.com/f/jtbearpj

Now you might be asking, why am I showering you with lovely pictures of this horrifying scary microorganism? Well, it turns out this little critter that lives in extreme temperatures, has DNA that is is shockingly different then most different than itself. Wait, what? What the heck does that mean?

Well, the long and short of it is, aliens....

http://cdn.meme.am/instances/60902871.jpg

Just kidding!

It means that about 1/6 of the DNA inside the Tradigrades is not of itself, most like its from some other organism that in the past tried to hijack the organism for it's own uses, and instead was incorporated into the genetic structure instead, which meant that it must have been helpful to whatever the Tradifrades were trying to do in the first place. Maybe it was something to help them live in the extreme temperatures they do now (even outer space! You see why I pulled that aliens statement now?). Anyway, if you want to read the full scientific write up, you can on by clicking the link embedded to PNAS.

And for the last little bit, I will leave you with this lovely picture, enjoy!

http://www.independent.mk/media/images/2015-03/photo_verybig_15335.jpg

So cute!