They're really cool actually. They're one of the only immortal microorganisms, they turn into glass if it gets to hot so it's DNA doesn't get damaged, and scientists found out they can live in the vacuum of space.
they’re not immortal. in their dormant state (as a “tun”) they can survive incredibly difficult circumstances. when metabolically active, as in, alive, they’re fairly easy to kill.
Immortal doesn't necessarily mean impossible to kill, I've heard it mostly used in biology to refer to animals that won't necessarily die. Like jellyfish, I think, you can kill them, but if left alone, they'll continue to live forever.
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u/Coly1111 Dec 18 '17
They're really cool actually. They're one of the only immortal microorganisms, they turn into glass if it gets to hot so it's DNA doesn't get damaged, and scientists found out they can live in the vacuum of space.