How Weird Can Life Get? This Weird.

How strange can lifeforms be? What are the toughest forms of life on the planet? And what could these epic survivors teach us about life on other worlds?

By Ana Luiza Dias

How weird can life get? Let’s just say, Mother Nature is an exemplary mother. She gave birth to species of all sizes, colors, shapes, and habits of life. And she loves all her children equally, without discriminating — even the strangest beings on the planet.

Human beings have explored most of the land area of Earth, but only with special equipment, shelter, and tools to survive. Some lifeforms can survive, and even thrive, in environments that would quickly kill people unlucky enough to face them without protection.

Think you can stand the cold? The red flat bark beetle has you beat. Image credit: Katja Schulz

Living beings have overcome epic challenges in in the search for shelter, food, and the chance of passing on their genes.

Want to see some of those weirdos and find out how they live? Come with me!

Tardigrades, the Nature Warriors

Tardigrades are among the toughest — an cutest — animals on Earth. Image by Ana Luza Dias from original photo by Bob Goldstein and Vicky Madden.

Tardigrades are warriors that would possibly survive the apocalypse and repopulate the world afterward. These eight-legged microscopic creatures are so…