S6.10: Space invaders: The amazing adaptations of tardigrades
Hello, and welcome to Genetics Unzipped - the Genetics Society podcast, with me, Dr Sally Le Page. In this episode we’re going microscopic, exploring what tiny tardigrades can teach us about desiccation, vaccine delivery … and even space travel!
Last episode, we discussed how much there is to learn from studying animal adaptations to extreme conditions, whether that’s how hibernating ground squirrels can help us treat heart attacks or how bowhead whales and naked mole rats can help us understand old age.
This week, we are continuing our tour of the animal kingdom with perhaps the most hardcore animal species around: the tardigrades. These adorable-looking microscopic animals are seemingly able to withstand some of the harshest conditions found on planet Earth - and beyond.
You can boil them, freeze them, throw them into outer space - and they will survive. The same cannot quite be said about the human species. So how can we use these incredible adaptations to solve some of our own problems?
Thomas Boothby: Surviving at the extremes of life
Prof. Thomas Boothby studies how tardigrades survive extreme conditions and how we can use these adaptations to improve human health, both on Earth and in space.
Click here to read the full transcript…
Coming up from the Genetics Society!
Coming up at the Genetics Society, the 1st June is the application deadline to apply for this round of Junior Scientist Conference Grants. These grants of up to £1,000 are open to undergraduate, Master’s, PhD students and recent postdoctoral scientists to support attendance at genetics conferences.
And on the 29th June is the Genetics Society summer symposium. Taking place in Cambridge and online, this year’s symposium is titled DNA: Past, Present and Future and celebrates the 70th anniversary of the description of the double helix. You’ll need to register both if you’re attending in Cambridge or online through the Genetics Society’s website, and as always, there’s a link in our shownotes.
That’s all for now. Thanks to Thomas Boothby from the University of Wyoming.
We’ll be back next time chasing down the perpetrator of a scientific whodunnit, and joining the DNA Detectives on the hunt for the causes of cancer.
For more information about this podcast including show notes, transcripts, links, references and everything else head over to geneticsunzipped.com You can find us on Twitter @geneticsunzip and please do take a moment to leave us a rating in the Spotify app or review us on Apple podcasts - it really makes a difference and helps more people discover the show.
This episode of Genetics Unzipped was written, presented and produced by me, Sally Le Page. It’s a First Create the Media production for The Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies dedicated to promoting research, training, teaching and public engagement in all areas of genetics. You can find out more and apply to join at genetics.org.uk. The executive producer is Kat Arney, our theme music was composed by Dan Pollard, the logo was designed by James Mayall, and audio production was by Emma Werner. Thanks for listening, and until next time, goodbye.
