Tardigrada, commonly known as Tardigrades or water bears, are the cutest microorganisms that are extreme environment dwellers. These adorable miniature bears have been to outer space, and, despite their squishy appearance, they are resilient enough to survive (and thrive!) for millions of years (preceding the dinosaurs!).
Indeed, these cuties are tiny but mighty. And I want to believe that they continue to inspire a lot of scientists and researchers to embrace the peace that comes with cryptobiosis, a state of being inactive in an astute manner, whilst staying cute! 😜
Here's a Tardibabe photo to brighten your day. 🥰 I do not believe that they are underrated (at least in the field of Microbiology), however, if you wish to know more about my most favourite cutie creatures, here's a fun article about them.
📷 UCLA
