Toughest creatures on Earth, it seems. They can survive in a vacuum, they are essentially immune to radiation, and for their new trick?
They can handle levels of UV that are generally used to kill things. Ya know, like certain annoying viruses that just won't go away.
Researchers hit specimens with a germicidal UV, and discovered that while most tardigrades did die, one species seemed highly resistant.
And the way they do it might be useful to humans. They have fluorescent pigment under their skin that transforms UV into harmless blue light. Could this be used to make a new sunscreen for humans? Or maybe UV resistant clothing? Maybe!
(It's so not going to be cockroaches that are the last living beings on Earth before it's swallowed by the sun...)
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