Tardigrade (Water Bear) by neurothing

Learning Biology

Tardigrade (Water Bear)

neurothing

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Published on July 8, 2012

This thing was Featured on July 9, 2012

Description

3D model of the water bear or tardigrade (Echiniscus species) - possibly the most widely spread and amazingly adaptive multicellular animal on Earth. They are cryptobiotic and have been demonstrated to be able to survive exposure to outer space for extended periods. The animals are about 0.5 to 1.0 mm long, so this is a 60X blow-up.

Instructions

The original model was passed on to me by a colleague some time ago so I can't give a provenance link. I made very minor mesh cleanups with Rhino3D and printed it on a Replicator with 1 shell at 10% infill. Details such as the claws on the end of the "feet" come through nicely although the extended feelers on the model get truncated in the print.

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TimboInSpace on December 24, 2012 said:

tardigrades = indestructible

lookwhatjoeysmaking on October 16, 2012 said:

AWESOME AND MIND BLOW.

neurothing on July 26, 2012 said:

Okay I think I found the original model on Blend Swap. (http://www.blendswap.com/blend... by Farley GC Studies. Credit where etc etc etc

CarryTheWhat on July 21, 2012 said:

This is so great. I want one as a pet. Do you know where the data came from?

Thanks for sharing!

dutchmogul on July 10, 2012 said:

I love it. Almost want to get one printed in stainless steel so he'd be appropriately indestructible ;-)

smwombat on July 9, 2012 said:

Awesome! My daughter will just love this - she just finished AP Bio and learned about tardigrades. What layer height did you use?

neurothing on July 9, 2012 said:

0.27.

Tardigrades rock. I'm seriously considering leaving vertebrate research and focusing on them, if for no other reason than I have a few billion in my backyard.