what does this mean, for us?

Prior to tardigrades, the only animals recorded to have been able to survive both the vacuum of space and cosmic radiation were lichens and some bacteria.

This means tardigrades could enter cryptobiosis to survive long travels across cosmic distances!

Tardigrades are even equipped to survive the waters found on Mars!

why are tardigrades so cool?

if you aren't convinced already...

Experiments with tardigrades could help us find life on other planets!

It may be possible to extrapolate how tardigrades work to other animals… maybe even humans? When tested in human cells, Dsup protein from tardigrades protected their DNA from x-rays!

In the future, Dsup and similar proteins may be used to protect crops that are vulnerable to drought or preserving perishable medications! For example, in places like Africa where lack of refrigeration can cause problems for access to pharmaceuticals, applying proteins that can tolerate environmental stress and survive dehydration could drastically increase access!