A tiny new species of animal dubbed the 'water bear' has been discovered living in Antarctica - and it's so tough it can survive in space.
Scientists found the creature - a member of the tardigrade family - on a trip to Victoria Land some 3,500 miles (5,600km) south of Australia.
A number of them, no bigger than half a millimetre, were lurking on mosses within a crater hollowed out by ancient glaciers.
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Not such a cuddly bear: Scientists found the creature - a member of the tardigrade family - on a trip to Victoria Land some 3,500 miles south of Australia
THE WORLD'S TOUGHEST CREATURE
Tardigrades, or water bears, are water-dwelling micro-animals with eight legs.
The tiny creatures are certainly strange-looking with their eight chubby legs, little claws and probing heads.
These bears are less than 1mm long and are found in the sea, in fresh water and on land.
Some experts have compared their shape with jelly babies or moles but tardigrades they should not be judged by their 'cute' appearance.
They are virtually indestructible - they will not die even if they are boiled, frozen, squeezed under pressure or desiccated.
In fact, they can be completely dried out for years - and then spring back to life as if nothing had happened.
Members of the tardigrade family have been found in high mountains, hot deserts and the deep ocean - and now in Antarctica.
Members of the tardigrade family have been found in high mountains, hot deserts and the deep ocean - but never in Antarctica.
And they're so resilient to harsh environments they've even been exposed in space by astronauts - and remarkably survived the experienceread more
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