I have an insatiable thirst for learning about new things and in one lifetime we will never ever be able to learn about everything. It is quite a sad fact, but instead of getting down in the dumps about that, I simply celebrate every moment of learning about something I did not know about before.
I wish I had been as thirsty for knowledge when I was young, as I am today… but that’s just not how things go is it? I suppose it depends on one’s age when growing up – kids under ten are full of amazing questions – and often I learn about something new by looking up something my son has asked me about. Then when we reach our teens ‘we already know everything’ right! … until we realise many, many years later that we actually know very, very little… and so the thirst for learning develops once again… and its exciting and wonderful!
For my ‘Something Different’ today I decided to learn about an amazing creature called The Water Bear (scientifically known as the Tardigrade). My daughter asked me if I knew what they were, and at first, I thought that she was talking about a big bear that perhaps lives in Alaska or somewhere alike. How wrong was I!
I found a very cool book in my son’s bookshelf called ‘Extreme Animals’ brilliantly written by Nicola Davies and amazingly Illustrated by Neal Layton. Let me quickly add here that I am not being endorsed by the people behind this book – I just must share it because it really is brilliant for kids and adults! Anyway… at the very back of the book they dedicate a few pages to this crazy creature – the Tardigrade.
The Water bear, or Tardigrade (also known as the Moss Pig) is miniscule. If you are lucky enough to see one you will probably be looking through a microscope. The largest is known to be less than 1mm large. They live in damp places or in pools of water – like near rivers or in the moss of a tree etc. I am not going to write a whole essay here about these little creatures, because I would love to encourage you to have a search on Google about them if you do not already know – but I am going to share a few of the ULTRA COOL facts about them!
Tardigrades are almost or every possibly indestructible – so does this make them immortal? When they feel threat, they quickly transform themselves into a state called a Ton. They fold themselves up like a telescope and release a protective sugar, retailing only 1% water. They can remain in this state for millions of years – and then when the ‘threat’ has passed, they simply pop back into a water bear state and carry on with their living as if nothing had ever happened! Scientists have tried to destroy them with boiling water, crazy sub-zero conditions, lethal doses of radiation, a vacuum as in space, unimaginable pressure and so on… and they have not been able to destroy them. It is simply CRAZY! They are amazing!
… And learning about them today was just as amazing. I enjoyed learning about these extreme creatures for my ‘Something Different’ today. I did not do ‘new knowledge’ research on something yesterday, and I may not tomorrow – but I will again very soon. Check them out if they are just as new to you or share another crazy creature with me that I may not know about – I would love that!!!