(ORDO NEWS) — Tardigrades are some of the most resilient creatures on the planet and in space. They are not afraid of critical temperatures and extreme conditions. An astrochemist and astrophysicist from the University of Kent decided to conduct a strange experiment.
They tested the survivability of the tardigrades by firing them with a gun. Scientists were shooting at a sand target. This is reported by Science Alert.
The experiment seems comical only at first glance. In fact, in this way, scientists tried to test whether living organisms can survive in the event of a collision of the Earth with a meteorite.
Panspermia is a hypothesis about the transfer of living beings through outer space. The simulated situation tested whether the tardigrades could survive if they were sent to the moon or Phobos.
The experiment proceeded as follows: the tardigrade was brought into a state of hibernation, placed in special containers. These containers were fired from a gun at a sandy target. Everything took place in a vacuum chamber with a speed range of 0.556 to 1 km / s.
The experiment did not end there. Targets with containers were filled with water. Then they timed the time after which the tardigrades would recover. The experiment showed that the creatures would successfully make it to the moon and recover there. But survival on Fobus is extremely unlikely.
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