The Is A Tardigrade, Aka Water Bear. And This Little Thing Can Survive The Most Extreme Conditions Boiling

The is a tardigrade, aka water bear. And this little thing can survive the most extreme conditions — boiling heat, freezing temperatures, even the vacuum of space. But what’s so special about this little guy?

Well this microorganism can survive from just above absolute zero, to well above the heat of boiling water. Pressures greater than the deepest point of the ocean by 600%. They can live without food or water for 10 years.

The European Space Agency even sent some tardigrade up to space, under an experiment called TARDIS — tardigrades in space. Where the results were stunning. Many of them survived the solar radiation, vacuum conditions, freezing temperature, dehydration and other extreme conditions. And.. It didn’t even affect their reproductive behaviors.

So what? It can live in extreme conditions, why does that matter?

Well the tardigrade have showed us that where life can exist, it will exist. Which makes us realize, maybe life doesn’t need to exist under all the conditions we once believed. If tardigrades can exist under these conditions, what about extraterrestrials?

Knowing about the tardigrade, there are so many more possibilities of finding extraterrestrial life. Now its up to time, and the work of our diligent scientists to show us where it exists — I know its hiding out there somewhere!

a practical guide to becoming a true pun master

accept that no pun is actually Good, but that the true nature of a good pun is to be so terrible that it becomes good.

say every pun that occurs to you. i’m so serious about this, sometimes the most well received puns will be ones you considered not saying.

ALWAYS laugh at your own puns, even if nobody else is. (especially if nobody else is.)

know that you are hilarious. puns are a limitless resource and you have taken it as your duty to bring this gift to humanity. you are a hero.

This is a (not-so-great) drawing of Anna Cappellini, the figure skater. I was drawing whatever came up on my dash and this caught my eye. I guess this one's for you, E. Also, this is a really bad photo of this drawing; I think the page was curling a bit and I swear she's better proportioned on the page. Reference image here and not linked properly because tumblr's being stupid: http://iamtheporpoise.tumblr.com/post/64475465478

Mighty Tanaka has posted some great shots of the new Nychos mural in Brooklyn.  Every neighborhood needs its own exploded whale, y’know?  Check the Mighty Tanaka Tumblr or Instagram for more pics.

(hat tip exhibition-ism)

Officials are searching for a 14-year-old Queens boy who is mute and was reported missing Friday.

Avonte Oquendo, who is 5 foot 3 and 125 pounds, was last seen leaving Center Boulevard School in Long Island City at around 12:45 p.m. Friday.

Oquendo was wearing a gray striped shirt, black jeans and black sneakers.

Anyone with information about Oquendo’s whereabouts is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS. #EveryoneRepostThis