The world of rotifers makes you wonder about the origins of life on this world and others. The possibility of finding life in the true definition has just changed the way we perceive it. Could this be the building blocks of the universe germinating life like a sower sprinkles seeds throughout the cosmos? Dr. Alan Tunnacliffe, award-winning Cambridge researcher at the Institute of Biotechnology gives us an insightful glimpse into rotifers.
Rotifers are tiny animals that survive against all the odds. They are also known for not having had sex for 80 million years.
The name “rotifer” is derived from the Latin word meaning “wheel-bearer”; this makes reference to the crown of cilia around the mouth of the rotifer.
Dr. Alan Tunnacliffe tests their super-powers by draining 90% of the water in their microscopic bodies, heats them to boiling point and freezes them in liquid nitrogen.
Still they thrive! Well discover how these extraordinary animals are able to survive under conditions deadly to most life and what this teaches us about how life might travel through space and potentially how it could have arrived on Earth. More immediately, well see how Alan’s team are poised to revolutionize medicine by bringing the tough tricks of the Rotifers to human cells and medicines.
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