They have been around a while, and the an evolutionary mechanism that lets you survived to -100C (some of the temperature extremes speculated in the last glacial period) might "just work" all the way down to near absolute zero.
That said, I am surprised that no NFL team has picked the Tartigrade has their mascot/theme ("The Texas Tardigrades are victorious!" kinda rolls off the tongue and they the buggers are tough and hang in there, good qualities for a sports franchise)
But the more interesting bit for me, is that they would survive on Mars if there are underground aquifers of liquid water occasionally, and Ganymede or any other moon with liquid seas if the radiation didn't kill them. Which I find interesting that we already have a 'proof of concept' of life that could be living off planet, now we need to figure out if it is actually out there.
As for the "Texas Tardigrades" proposal: the name sounds too much like "retard". Even if the local PC committee did not object, the opposing team supporters would have a field day.
That said, I am surprised that no NFL team has picked the Tartigrade has their mascot/theme ("The Texas Tardigrades are victorious!" kinda rolls off the tongue and they the buggers are tough and hang in there, good qualities for a sports franchise)
But the more interesting bit for me, is that they would survive on Mars if there are underground aquifers of liquid water occasionally, and Ganymede or any other moon with liquid seas if the radiation didn't kill them. Which I find interesting that we already have a 'proof of concept' of life that could be living off planet, now we need to figure out if it is actually out there.