crisscrossing Science Episode 030: Waterbears: Tiny Terrors from the Deep . . . Pond

In this episode, Chris Gaiser (professor of biology at Linfield College) tells Mike Crosser (professor of physics at Linfield College) about tardigrades, also known as waterbears. These small creatures have the amazing ability to withstand nearly complete dehydration by creating special proteins which keep them from breaking apart without water. Gaiser and Crosser discuss the effects of dehydration on most living things and why cells will usually die.