Study
High-Temperature Tolerance in Anhydrobiotic Tardigrades Is Limited by Glass Transition
Hengherr, S.; Worland, M. R.; Reuner, A.; Brümmer, F.; Schill, R. O.
Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 2009
Desiccated tardigrades were heated across a temperature range and survival scored, alongside thermal analysis identifying the temperature at which the glassy state inside the animal softens.
- Studied in
- Tardigrada
- Sample size
- desiccated tardigrades across temperature exposures with thermal analysis
Survival of desiccated tardigrades falls sharply at temperatures corresponding to the glass transition of their internal sugars and proteins. Below that point the animals are stable; above it, survival collapses. The transition temperature depends on residual water content.
What it means
The authors' reading, and ours. Where they differ, that difference is the point.
How the authors put it
The upper temperature limit of anhydrobiotic survival is set by the physical stability of the vitrified state rather than by any biochemical process.
How NatureHQ reads it
This puts a mechanism under the limit and explains why the boiling-water claim is wrong in a specific way. The tun survives heat because its contents are a glass; the glass has a softening point; above it the protection stops. It is a physical boundary rather than a biological one, which is why it is sharp and why residual moisture shifts it. It also explains why time matters as much as temperature — a glass held near its transition degrades gradually rather than failing at a threshold.
- Glass transition was measured on bulk samples rather than within a single animal.
- Species and preparation differ in residual water content, which moves the limit.
- Explains the upper temperature bound, not tolerance to other stresses.
What this study is used for on NatureHQ
One study can inform several subjects. Here is everywhere this one is cited.
Published by: University press journalsPublished in a university press journal.
This reference was resolved automatically against Crossref on 2026-08-11.
NatureHQ summarises research in its own words and does not reproduce published text. Reviewed 2026-08-11.