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The Hardy Bugs

Earth’s last survivors will be these little monsters that wouldn’t die until the Sun explodes

Tardigrades, also known as the water bear, have been dubbed nature’s Supermen after scientists failed to find a way to kill them

MEET the world’s most indestructible being — a bug that can survive for up to 30 years without food or water.

The tardigrade is the size of a pin head and ­scientists claim they will ­survive until the sun dies, in about seven billion years’ time.

Tardigrades are tiny creatures sometimes known as water bears

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Tardigrades are tiny creatures sometimes known as water bears

The creatures, also known as the water bear, can survive extremes of heat and live for up to 60 years.

Researchers have labelled them “nature’s Superman” after being unable to kill the critters off in a series of simulations of how the world could end.

Boffins found the eight-legged marvel would survive asteroids ­hitting Earth, exploding stars and even gamma ray bursts.

The bug, which grows to a ­maximum size of just 0.5mm, can also survive in the ­frozen vacuum of outer space and can handle temperatures near ­boiling point.

And the tardigrade has been proven to withstand solar winds and deadly radiation.

But scientists say there could be other equally indestructible lifeforms surviving elsewhere in the universe.

Study author Dr Rafeal Alves Batista, of Oxford University, explained: “Subtle changes in our ­environment impact us dramatically.

“There are many more resilient species’ on earth. Life on this planet can continue long after humans are gone.

“Tardigrades are as close to indestructible as it gets on Earth, but it is possible that there are other resilient species examples elsewhere in the universe.

“In this context there is a real case for looking for life on Mars and in other areas of the solar system in general.

“If tardigrades are Earth’s most resilient species, who knows what else is out there.”

The last one standing gets the Earth

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The last one standing gets the Earth

Scientists found only one way the tardigrades could be killed off — if our oceans boil away and we are left without any water.

They discovered an exploding star would need to be 0.14 light years away from Earth to produce the heat needed.

But the dozen or so asteroids or dwarf planets that are big enough to do this are too far away.

Co-author Dr David Sloan said: “It seems that life, once it gets going, is hard to wipe out entirely.”