The study of microbiology is an intense endeavor, requiring students to have a lot of concentration and sometimes a little imagination. When you look at things under a microscope, they often appear completely different from those seen with the naked eye. This is fascinating, but at the same time frustrating, as trying to make associations with your own intrinsic knowledge becomes challenging. Hypsibius dujardini is a microscopic animal of the Tardigrada phylum commonly called aquatic bear (Mach, 2011). When observed under a microscope, this eight-legged aquatic animal appears to walk slowly, like a bear we know on a macroscopic level (Piper, 2007). Despite their cute and cuddly name, water bears, such as Hypsibius dujardini, are true extremophiles, surviving in some of the harshest conditions there are (Mobjerg, et al., 2011). From temperatures near absolute zero to the vacuum of space, these amazing microorganisms are nearly invincible (Mach, 2011). The state that allows a tardigrade to withstand extreme conditions is called cryptobiosis (Gabriel, et al., 2007). When the external environment is unfavorable, the tardigrade willingly submits to this inactive metabolic form and is called “tun (Mobjerg et al., 2011)”. There are five types of cryptobiosis, all in response to a particular environmental inadequacy (Wharton, 2002). Anhydrobiosis occurs when there is a lack of water, anoxybiosis occurs when there is little oxygen, chemobiosis is the response to excessive environmental toxins, cryobiosis is the result of a decrease in temperature, and finally, osmobiosis occurs when there is an increased concentration of solutes in organisms. environment (Wharton, 2002). Although many organisms can fit into a single...... medium of paper...... storage, without destruction, at low temperature, which allows for future observations. The Goldstein Lab at UNC Chapel Hill has certainly demonstrated that Hypsibius dujardini is a useful laboratory species. Although references to tardigrades date back to Anton van Leeuwenhok, a father of microbiological studies, there is a powerful modern sequel that continues to exist today (Mach, 2011). Microbiologists around the world have become fond of the water bear and its incredible survival skills. Besides that, the appearance of the microorganism fascinates people's hearts. I believe that with further research by NASA and other institutions, such as the Goldstein Lab, Hypsibius dujardini can have a lasting impact on our society. Whether proving evolution or providing tools for human conservation, we can certainly use these large microorganisms to our advantage.