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August 12, 2019
Image above: Sent to an Israeli lunar probe last April, these microscopic invertebrates could still be alive despite the crash of the aircraft.
Water bears, traveling aboard the Israeli lunar probe that crashed last April, could survive on the moon for thirty years.
Microscopic invertebrates, known as "water bears", could lead a peaceful life on the moon. Sent to an Israeli lunar probe last April, they could still be alive despite the crash of the aircraft, say scientists.
Image above: These miniature animals, strongly resembling bears, are among the most resistant species in the world.
These miniature animals, strongly resembling bears, are among the most resistant species in the world. They can survive at 150 degrees heat or total freezing. For Nova Spivack, one of the experts who participated in sending them to the moon, "the tardigrades are perfect for going into space. They are microscopic, multicellular and represent one of the most sustainable life forms on earth. Their chances of survival are extremely high. "
Image taken by the Israeli lunar probe (Beresheet) just before its crash
Very resistant "bears"
In an experiment 12 years ago, water bears became the first creatures to survive in space.
Image above: Tradigrades are invertebrates considered as micro-animals.
According to Francisco Diego Quintana, professor of physics at University College London, "they could live thirty years on the moon". But the scientist warns of the dangers of these experiments. Sending new species into space could disturb already existing and older life forms. "If we start to contaminate them, it can become a major problem."
Micro-animals less than a millimeter
The tardigrades are invertebrates considered as micro-animals. Their size does not exceed one millimeter long, the equivalent of the tip of a gray pencil.
Image above: Tardigrade, scientists estimate that the species dates back to 530 million years.
Scientists estimate that the species dates back to 530 million years ago. Water bears are still part of the current fauna and can be seen under a microscope in gardens or in small wet crevices.
Tardigrades, known colloquially as water bears or moss piglets, are a phylum of water-dwelling eight-legged segmented micro-animals. They were first described by the German zoologist Johann August Ephraim Goeze in 1773, who called them little water bears.
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https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2019/04/israels-beresheet-spacecraft-crashes.html
SpaceX - NUSANTARA SATU Mission Success
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2019/02/spacex-nusantara-satu-mission-success.html
NASA is Aboard First Private Moon Landing Attempt
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2019/02/nasa-is-aboard-first-private-moon.html
Related links:
SpaceIL: http://www.visit.spaceil.com/
University College London (UCL): https://london.ac.uk/
Images, Text, Credits: SpaceIL/University College London/Wikimedia/Wikipedia/Orbiter.ch Aerospace/Roland Berga.
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