Imagine a creature that survives near absolute zero temperatures. Meet the tardigrades, also known as water bears, which can enter a state of anabiosis, reducing their biological processes to just a tenth of a percent. Italian zoologist Lazzaro Spallanzani once submerged these tiny creatures in a chilled state for a whole year, and was astounded when they revived. He likened this to a resurrection from the dead, and he wasn't far off.

Later research has shown that tardigrades can survive an hour in boiling water, withstand 30 years without food, and shrug off radiation levels that would be lethal to most life forms. Even a dose of 570,000 killed only half of the tardigrades studied – to put it in perspective, the lethal dose for a human is about a thousand times less, at just 500.

Not long ago, tardigrades were even exposed to the harsh environment of outer space. While there were losses, some survived this extreme challenge and even continued to reproduce. So, when it comes to the title of the most indestructible living creature, the tardigrade might just be the undisputed champion.

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