Adorable tardigrades fight UV rays with glowing shield - Live Science

Tubby tardigrades — also called moss piglets or water bears — are known for their toughness, able to withstand extreme heat, cold and pressure, as well as the vacuum of space.

Now, scientists have uncovered new clues about tardigrades' radiation resistance.

Experiments with tardigrades in the Paramacrobiotus genus revealed that fluorescence protects them like a layer of sunscreen, transforming damaging UV rays into harmless blue light, according to a new study. .

Jellyfish glow with fluorescent light, as do scorpions, parrots, nematodes and yes — tardigrades, said lead study author Sandeep M.

For the new study, the authors questioned if fluorescence in tardigrades might be linked to the water bears' radiation tolerance.

The scientists tested Paramacrobiotus tardigrades' UV resistance by exposing them to 15 minutes of radiation at levels high enough to kill most microorganisms.

All of the Paramacrobiotus tardigrades were still alive 30 days later, while Hypsibius exemplaris tardigrades that were UV-sensitive all died within 24 hours of radiation exposure, according to the study.

"There was no difference in the survival of these two tardigrade species when they were not treated with UV radiation," Eswarappa told Live Science in an email. .

However, when the researchers extracted fluorescent components from Paramacrobiotus tardigrades and applied them to both H.

For glowing Earthbound tardigrades, fluorescence could increase their chances of surviving in habitats where the water bears are often exposed to the sun, Eswarappa said.