Post Something Interesting

[mexico1970]

The smallest things with a mouth, in a biological context, are certain single-celled organisms, called protists, such as amoebas and paramecia, and take in food through a mouth-like structure (though it is not a true, multi-cellular organ). These organisms are typically around 0.2 to 0.8 micrometers (µm) to a few micrometers in size, ie really fucking tiny.

The smallest known animal species is actually a type of parasitic cnidarian called Myxobolus shekel, which is no more than 8.5 micrometers (µm) when fully grown.
While cnidarians typically have a mouth (which also functions as an anus, yep, it really does), the feeding mechanism of this specific parasite is highly specialised and does not resemble a typical "mouth".

The fairy wasp Dicopomorpha echmepterygis is about the size of a large amoeba (less than 0.2 mm long) and is one of the smallest insects with true, complex mouthparts (jaws or mandibles).

Ultimately though, in common usage, the tardigrade (water bear), a microscopic animal usually 0.05 to 0.5 mm long, is a candidate for the smallest creature with a clearly defined mouth and digestive system, complete with stylets to pierce food,
and this is what the fucked up thing looks like...

Tardigrades are the first animals known to survive the vacuum and radiation of outer space. They survived a 10-day exposure to space in 2007 and can be reanimated by rehydration on Earth. Experiments have shown they can withstand both vacuum and solar ultraviolet radiation, though some did not survive ultraviolet exposure.



Hard little bastards!

 

[NPBlue]

Tardigrades are the first animals known to survive the vacuum and radiation of outer space. They survived a 10-day exposure to space in 2007 and can be reanimated by rehydration on Earth. Experiments have shown they can withstand both vacuum and solar ultraviolet radiation, though some did not survive ultraviolet exposure.



Hard little bastards!

On one of the Apollo moon landings in the 70's, the astronauts visited an old lander that had been on the surface since the mid 60's, and removed a camera which was brought back to Earth.

Someone involved in constructing the camera had been infected with a cold, because anaysis identified living cold viruses that had survived all those years in the vacuum of space.

 

[Bigg Bigg Blue]

For inventing this (I know its AI and not real btw)
View attachment 174342
I can forgive china for its dodgy antics ;-)

Looks like it's full of piss.

 

[The perfect fumble]

Bloody Hell!...