100 men versus a tardigrade
How the water bear’s survival skills make an angry gorilla look tame
This week had social media asking who would win in a battle between 100 unarmed humans and a gorilla. Our curiosity led us to wonder how 100 men would fare in a fight against a bear.
In particular, a water bear.
Formally known as a tardigrade, the water bear is a creature found all around the world under our feet. For more than 600 million years, the tardigrade has endured multiple extinction events and continues to astound scientists with its ability to survive the extremes of outer space, freezing temperatures, and radiation.
In our wastewater work, we find tardigrades quite often in our biosolids analysis. Water bears indicate the age of sludge — the solid biological material collected during the wastewater treatment process. Their presence teaches us much about the quality of the solids and the processes active in our treatment plants.
So in a comparison on strength, endurance, and ability to withstand pressure, does a motivated mob stand any chance against a tiny tardigrade?
No.
These tiny buggers are known for their ability to endure the most extreme of conditions — from heat, to cold, to radiation, to the very vacuum of space. These guys know how to survive fights to the death, and those who study them have referred to water bears as “indestructible.”
They can even endure a dormant state of suspended animation called cryptobiosis for more than 30 years. That’s endurance.
And if a professional boxer’s punch can approach 30 miles per hour, compare that to a tardigrade’s ability to survive impacts of more than 60 times that: about 2,045 miles per hour.
The data is clear, the tardigrade is a winner in this battle royale. The bigger question: Why would anyone want to punch a face like this?
