Tardigrades are nearly indestructible due to their ability to enter a cryptobiotic state, expelling most of their body water, which allows them to survive extreme conditions like extreme temperatures, radiation, and even the vacuum of space. They produce unique proteins that protect their DNA from damage, and when in this dormant 'tun' state, their metabolic activity drops significantly, enabling them to withstand extreme environmental stresses that would typically be fatal to other organisms [1][2][3][6].

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What makes tardigrades nearly indestructible?

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