363: A Matter of Life, Death, or Maybe Somewhere in Between with John and Lois Crowe

“It’s just kind of a mind blowing thing to think about an organism that literally has no metabolism, that’s completely dried out, but that isn’t dead.”

We think of consistent water consumption as a necessary component for life… but then there are tardigrades. Adorable and tiny, tardigrades can survive intervals of extreme drying or dehydration and then later be revived. They’re amazing animals, and much of what is known about them comes from the work of John and Lois Crowe, two former UC Davis researchers who devoted much of their careers to studying these little guys. They both join us on the show this week.