During a series of ecological disasters including an ice age and a period of extensive solar radiation, the tardigrade, one of nature’s “extremophiles”, was able to evolve physically to the extent where the microscopic organism can decrease its metabolism to a miniscule amount making it able to survive whatever conditions it faces. As it is unknown to how the tardigrade was able to evolve to that extent, a plausible answer is contingency, a theory that evolution sometimes occurs by chance. Lastly, the tardigrade parallels the idea of the “Posthuman” as its ability to survive is far greater than the human’s ability to survive, making the tardigrade a model for the advancement of human physical evolution. Just because humans cannot communicate
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One possible reason is what Gould described in his essay “Wonderful Life”, an idea that he called contingency. He reasons that sometimes the development of these odd traits occur by chance, and in the case of the tardigrade, are the reason for their survival. Gould states in his essay “We are the offspring of history, and must establish our own paths in this most diverse and interesting of conceivable universes—one indifferent to our suffering, and therefore offering us maximal freedom to thrive, or to fail, in our own chosen way” (Gould). The tardigrade today is simply a product of its own extensive history. Through ice ages, solar radiation, and most likely more ecological events, the tardigrade evolved what it is today, perhaps not due to any one reason, but …show more content…
As mentioned previously, the tardigrade’s extraordinary traits of survival work as a celling for physical human development. If humans could learn from the tardigrades and figure out how to physically change themselves to aid their survival, then the tardigrades play an essential role in the survival of humans. Therefore, the life forms of the humans and the tardigrades are forever intertwined. This idea contrasts completely with the ideas Symborska applies in “Silence of Plants”. In the poem, the narrator discusses the improbability of communicating with plants due to their physical characteristics. Because the two forms of life are so vastly different, their relationship is impossible. Humans cannot learn from plants because they cannot understand
One possible reason is what Gould described in his essay “Wonderful Life”, an idea that he called contingency. He reasons that sometimes the development of these odd traits occur by chance, and in the case of the tardigrade, are the reason for their survival. Gould states in his essay “We are the offspring of history, and must establish our own paths in this most diverse and interesting of conceivable universes—one indifferent to our suffering, and therefore offering us maximal freedom to thrive, or to fail, in our own chosen way” (Gould). The tardigrade today is simply a product of its own extensive history. Through ice ages, solar radiation, and most likely more ecological events, the tardigrade evolved what it is today, perhaps not due to any one reason, but …show more content…
As mentioned previously, the tardigrade’s extraordinary traits of survival work as a celling for physical human development. If humans could learn from the tardigrades and figure out how to physically change themselves to aid their survival, then the tardigrades play an essential role in the survival of humans. Therefore, the life forms of the humans and the tardigrades are forever intertwined. This idea contrasts completely with the ideas Symborska applies in “Silence of Plants”. In the poem, the narrator discusses the improbability of communicating with plants due to their physical characteristics. Because the two forms of life are so vastly different, their relationship is impossible. Humans cannot learn from plants because they cannot understand