1. Tardigrades In Space Cheyanne Jeffrey & Vicki-Ann Aman Co-Principal Investigators

2. What Are They?  Microscopic organisms  Can be found anywhere on Earth (soil, water, mold, lichen)

3. How much can they withstand?  Temperatures as low as -200 °C and as high as 151 °C  Freezing and/or thawing processes  Lack of oxygen  Lack of water  Levels of X-ray radiation 1000x the lethal human dose;  Boiling alcohol  Low pressure of a vacuum  High pressure (up to 6x the pressure of the deepest part of the ocean)

4. Cryptobiosis  “A temporary state where an organism’s metabolic activities come to a reversible standstill.” In Other Words………….

5. Experiment: Live and Rehydrated Water Bears Vs. Microgravity  Question: Is there a structural and behavioral difference when the tardigrades are in microgravity?

6. Hay Infusion Media with wheat grains and Spirogyra algae flamentous Live Water Bears in Water with Spirogyra algae 10-15 Water Bears in Crypto Biotic Form Around 25

7. The Results Are In! Space Rehydrated Water Bears -No signs of life -Strong odor -Cloudy-Exoskeletons -Lack of algae -Yellowish color -Ph level 8 Earth’s Rehydrated Water Bears -Strong odor -Cloudy -Identified less that 4 water bears -Lack of algae -Ph level 8

8. The Results Are In! Space’s Live Water Bears -Exoskeletons-Rotifers -Lack of algae Earth’s Live Water Bears -Ph level 7 (normal) -Same odor as rehydrated experiment -Lack of algae -Making it difficult to see -Identified less than three water bears

9. Conclusion  What happened to the water bears?  Clues:  Lack of algae  Type of living environment ? ? ? ? ?

10. Acknowledgements  Financial Support:  Rochester Area Community Foundation  Asia Society International Studies Schools Network  Other Support:  Rochester Early College International High School  Rochester City School District  Ward’s Science (samples)  University of Rochester (microscope)