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I'd say: By far.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardigrade
"Tardigrades are polyextremophiles and are able to survive in extreme
environments that would kill almost any other animal. Some can survive
temperatures of -273?C (-460?F), close to absolute zero, temperatures
as high as 151?C (303?F), 1000 times more radiation than other animals,
and almost a decade without water. In September 2007, tardigrades were
taken into low Earth orbit on the FOTON-M3 mission and for 10 days were
exposed to the vacuum of space. After they were returned to Earth, it was
discovered that many of them survived and laid eggs that hatched normally,
making these the only animals known to be able to survive the vacuum of
space."
--
- Warp
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Warp wrote:
> I'd say: By far.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardigrade
Somehow, saying that that's "hardcore" seems wholely inadaquat.
Still, when you're that tiny, forces like gravity and inertia no longer
apply to you. (Or rather, they are insignificant compared to viscosity.)
I would imagine that with a surface area of just 3.1 mm^2 enclosing a
volume of only 0.5 mm^3, differences in external pressure are pretty
unimportant to you. Which would mean that differences in temperature
probably aren't important to your physical structure. (Chemical
structure is of course another matter...)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strain_121
*survive*, but *live*. It seems Tardigrades go into stasis at high
temperatures.)
Yeah, small is rugged. Still, there _is_ that frog that survives being
frozen solid each year...
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Invisible <voi### [at] dev null> wrote:
> Warp wrote:
> > I'd say: By far.
> >
> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardigrade
> Somehow, saying that that's "hardcore" seems wholely inadaquat.
> Still, when you're that tiny, forces like gravity and inertia no longer
> apply to you.
But things like dehydration and radiation (UV or ionizing) do. Also,
I think vacuum and thousands of times normal atmospheric pressure do also
have a significant effect regardless of your size.
It's a popular thought experiment which animals would survive a nuclear
holocaust. It would probably be safe to say that tardigrades wouldn't even
*notice* such a thing and just mind their business as usual.
--
- Warp
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>> Still, when you're that tiny, forces like gravity and inertia no longer
>> apply to you.
>
> But things like dehydration and radiation (UV or ionizing) do.
Indeed.
> Also,
> I think vacuum and thousands of times normal atmospheric pressure do also
> have a significant effect regardless of your size.
It's been my observation that small objects tend to be inherantly
stronger. But who knows, perhaps you're right.
> It's a popular thought experiment which animals would survive a nuclear
> holocaust. It would probably be safe to say that tardigrades wouldn't even
> *notice* such a thing and just mind their business as usual.
Given that some of them evidently live deeply burried in the sediments
at the very bottom of the deepest parts of the ocean... yeah, they're
really *not* going to care.
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Warp wrote:
> I'd say: By far.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardigrade
>
> "Tardigrades are polyextremophiles
I'm not sure "extremophile" would be the word I would pick. Capable of
dealing with extremes? Sure. *Loving* it? Doubtful. ;-)
Cool link, tho.
--
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
C# - a language whose greatest drawback
is that its best implementation comes
from a company that doesn't hate Microsoft.
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Invisible escreveu:
> It's been my observation that small objects tend to be inherantly
> stronger.
you only need a bite from a mutated spider to become that strong
yourself too... :)
>> It's a popular thought experiment which animals would survive a nuclear
>> holocaust. It would probably be safe to say that tardigrades wouldn't
>> even
>> *notice* such a thing and just mind their business as usual.
They will notice if their food begins to scarce. What's the point of
being so strong if your food isn't?
--
a game sig: http://tinyurl.com/d3rxz9
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>> It's been my observation that small objects tend to be inherantly
>> stronger.
>
> you only need a bite from a mutated spider to become that strong
> yourself too... :)
Well, we do handle C14 at work, so...
> They will notice if their food begins to scarce. What's the point of
> being so strong if your food isn't?
Will they? Or just sleep it off? ;-)
--
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*
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Darren New <dne### [at] san rr com> wrote:
> Cool link, tho.
They are also surprisingly cute, considering their size:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8621981677427185677#
--
- Warp
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