Researchers have once again tested the resilience of tardigrades by tattooing these microscopic creatures. Known for their survival in extreme conditions, tardigrades endured freezing, vacuum, and electron beams to receive biological tattoos. This experiment, detailed in Nano Letters, marks a significant step in microfabrication on living organisms.
The study focused on applying micro- and nanopatterns to living tissue, a technique that could revolutionize biomedical sensors. Despite a 60% mortality rate, 40% of the tardigrades survived and resumed normal activities, demonstrating their exceptional hardiness.
