3/15/2006: Water Bears, the world's toughest animal

[tippy]

its a beastybob!

[tw]

Originally Posted by jojo

how come they get to have 7 fingers and we only get 5.

Its in the Bible. God only knew how to count to seven. Later, when he created man, God learned the advantage of five - such as a five day work week.

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by tw

Its in the Bible. God only knew how to count to seven. Later, when he created man, God learned the advantage of five - such as a five day work week.

In the Bible, Book of Armaments, (and, I quote) "five is right out!"

I thought God liked the number three. No more, no less.

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by Skunks

How is it that this is defined as an "animal" instead of some other term that more aptly implies "teeny little critter"? Don't we have terms like "insect" and "bug" and others that more fit that size bracket?

Insects are animals.

[barefoot serpent]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

The color pictures show them bright red, but they can be orange or green

those are the tarted-up tartigrades

[jinx]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

But nobody says what they eat?

From http://152.2.81.1/parkproject/harp/C...rade_page.html Tartigrades feed upon detritus and fresh plant material. Some are predatory on smaller invertebrates.

[Elspode]

Aren't animals pretty much any living thing that isn't a plant?

[Happy Monkey]

Or a fungus, protist, or moneran.

[jinx]

http://www.sidwell.edu/us/science/vl...arya/Animalia/ Kingdom Animalia Kingdom Animalia is one of four kingdoms in the Domain Eukarya. It is distinct from the other three kingdoms, Plantae, Fungi, and Protista, in several ways. Animalia are multicellular, while most Protista (excepting the multicellular algae, which are plant-like) are unicellular. Heterotrophism separates the animals and fungi from plants, and the lack of cell walls in animal cells makes them distinct from fungi. Animals also possess several other unique features. These include interior digestion of food, possession of a digestive tract where hydrolytic enzymes are secreted and digestion takes place, and special cell junctions in their tissues.

[binky]

What a shame these things weren't commonly known in the 1950s-what a cool creature for one of those cheesy sci-fi movies where radiation makes something gigantic!

[binky]

Originally Posted by AureliusVin

Damn, you think you could get one of these guys at a local pet shop? I'd pay a fine price for a little colony of tartigrades.

My ten year old learned about these last year and would LOVE a bunch of these

[tw]

Originally Posted by Brianna

I thought God liked the number three. No more, no less.

He be three. A number reserved only for God ... and human equivalents - Olympic metal winners.

Yes I remember my indoctrination well - including all answers to why bears have seven digits. We only need consult the bible and God's chosen presidents.

[capnhowdy]

It looks to me like the top left extremity has eight "fingers". Could be the arthritis medicine.

[Kagen4o4]

what about kryptonite?

[jojo]

Originally Posted by capnhowdy

It looks to me like the top left extremity has eight "fingers". Could be the arthritis medicine.

even worse! i bet cap'n hook has claw envy.