Tardigrades, small metazoans measuring between 0.1 and 1.2 millimetres, are the toughest animals on Earth. They can survive in extreme conditions, withstanding temperatures as low as -272°C (the temperature of liquid helium) and as high as +151°C, and  are 11,000 times more resistant than humans to UV or X-rays. Their incredible resilience stems from their ability to enter a state of cryptobiosis, where they dry out almost entirely to suspend their metabolic activity until favorable conditions reappear. In 2019, a space mission even sent them into space to study their resistance in this hostile environment. Their exceptional survival capacity is intriguing the scientific community for possible technological and medical applications.