How Do Tardigrades Survive the Vacuum of Space?

Imagine you are playing with modeling clay. If you leave it out in the cold or dry air, it might get hard and look dead. But if you put some water on it later, it becomes soft again! Tardigrades do something similar but much more amazing. They are tiny animals that can shrink themselves into a little ball called a 'tun' when they run out of water.

When the air gets too thin like in space, they just dry out completely. Inside their body, special proteins hold all their cells together so nothing breaks apart. It is like putting your toys inside a sturdy box and sending it on a rocket.

After floating in space for days or even years, if water comes back, the tardigrade wakes up! It unfurls its legs and starts walking around as if nothing happened. They are basically the champions of survival.