Microscopic animal survives 24,000 years of being frozen

8 Jun 2021

Image depicting microscopic animal Bdelloid rotifer

Microscopic animal survives 24,000 years of being frozen

Microscopic animal survives 24,000 years of being frozenMicroscopic animals are animals that are very tiny. So, you can see them only under a microscope.

The Bdelloid rotifer is one such animal. This microscopic animal usually lives in watery places. And it can survive many extreme conditions.

Recently, scientists found these animals frozen in the soil in Siberia, Russia. They had been frozen for 24,000 years.

And what's even more amazing? Scientists unfroze them and they came back to life! The microscopic animals had been in a state called cryptobiosis. This is the animal "sleeps" to survive harsh conditions.

Earlier studies show that the rotifers can survive up to 10 years when frozen. But 24,000 years is a new record!

However, it is not only rotifers that can survive such conditions. Even other microscopic animals like water bears are very tough. Scientists could also regrow Antarctic moss from samples over 1000 years old.

Of course, bigger animals will likely not survive such conditions. But even finding small animals like this is amazing.

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Microscopic animals are animals that are very tiny. So, you can see them only under a microscope. The Bdelloid rotifer is one such animal. This […]

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Comments: 1

spmishra says:

10 June 2021 at 4:37 pm

Wow this is very intresting!

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