Tardigrades survive space: Earth’s toughest creatures make history

In a notable achievement for biology and space exploration, fruit flies were the first living creatures from Earth to reach space in 1947, long before the much-publicized Laika, the Soviet space dog. This was a remarkable milestone for the scientific community, as it highlighted the potential for life beyond our planet. In 2007, tardigrades, or water bears, made headlines again as they were the first animals to survive direct exposure to the harsh vacuum and radiation of space, showcasing their exceptional resilience due to a survival mechanism called cryptobiosis. This process allows them to enter a lethargic state and essentially shut down their metabolism when faced with extreme conditions. On October 18, 1963, a stray cat named Félicette was launched into suborbital space by France, a part of research efforts to study the effects of space travel on living organisms. Félicette's flight was a significant step in understanding how more complex organisms might handle space environments. While her contributions went unrecognized for decades, she finally received acknowledgment in 2019 with a bronze statue celebrating her role in space exploration efforts. The discoveries regarding these animals can inspire a deeper connection to nature and provoke thoughts about the survival possibilities of life forms beyond Earth, thus opening further discussions on astrobiology and our responsibilities towards all living entities on our planet.