Water bears on Mars: Tardiguardians of the Galaxy?

Artist’s concept of a tardigrade, or water bear, floating in space. These creatures are small, about the size of the period at the end of this sentence. But a new study says water bears might help future astronauts adapt to and survive on Mars … or elsewhere beyond Earth. That’s why they’re calling them Tardiguardians of the Galaxy. Image via Terranaut/ Pixabay (Royalty Free).

• Tardigrades – also known as water bears – are tiny animals about 1 mm or less in size. They’re known for being able to survive in extreme environments.