Life’s resilience is evident throughout Earth’s tumultuous history, marked by five major extinction events. Despite the setbacks, life has recovered time after time, showing its resistance, despite different species having perished throughout its history.
Even in the face of possible future mass extinction events, such as nuclear war or astrophysical catastrophes, one creature emerges as the leading candidate to be the last living being.
The tardigrade could be the last living thing on our planet
- Nuclear war presents a bleak outlook, with radioactivity coupled with a nuclear winter threatening the foundations of ecosystems.
- However, research indicates that certain resistant organisms, including tardigrades, could withstand these conditions, ensuring the persistence of life in parts of the planet.
- Astrophysical events, such as supernova explosions or large asteroid impacts, also pose threats to life on Earth.
- But studies suggest that tardigrades can withstand even these extreme scenarios, thanks to their remarkable resistance to radiation and harsh environments.
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Dr. David Sloan, co-author of a 2017 study on the resilience of tardigrades, emphasized their ability to survive multiple catastrophes, highlighting the tenacity of life once it gains a foothold. Tardigrades, known to enter a state of cryptobiosis to withstand harsh conditions, exhibit surprising survival, withstanding extreme temperatures, pressure and radiation.
Despite the resistance of certain beings, life is not infinite
However, tardigrades, like all life on Earth, face an inevitable end with the death of the Sun. As the star expands to become a red giant (which is predicted to happen in about 5 billion years ), swallowing nearby planets, Earth will succumb to intense heat and radiation, making it inhospitable to any form of life.
