This is awesome: tardigrades, possibly the most indestructible animals in nature, have a genome that is 17.5% not-animal. [link]

They've picked up genes (by direct transfer) from bacteria, viruses, fungi and plants. They think it's from their best survival mechanism. Tardigrades can survive near-complete dehydration. But that breaks up their DNA, and when they rehydrate, environmental DNA can infiltrate the cells and get stitched in.

In conclusion, here's a picture of one. Awww, so cute. [link]

I am going to have to keep thinking about that for a while. Wow.

Here's another one: someone's made an interactive map showing all the world's territorial disputes: [link]

The top comment states: "Unfortunately, the resolution isn’t high enough to zoom in on the red dot in Southern Ontario where Chad keeps moving his fucking stapler to my side of the cubicle."

Reading the link, what does not kill a tardigrade literally makes it stronger?

I'm pretty sure the tardigrade was either a monster in Pan's Labyrinth or Doctor Who. And considering the name . . .

I was expecting it to be a program to incorporate Doctor Who in teaching.

Reading the link, what does not kill a tardigrade literally makes it stronger?

Speculatively. I would add numerous caveats to that though. (Not least being, I would assume that the majority of foreign genes that make it into a tardigrade will prove to be neutral or detrimental to its odds of survival. Just as with internal genetic mutations. But in terms of the evolving genome rather than an individual tardigrade, maybe?)

I was expecting it to be a program to incorporate Doctor Who in teaching.

I think it's the mark you get on your assignment if it's late.

Someone save me from Christmas Carol tech rehearsals!

Bah humbug.

Make Marley's chains sound like steel drums! Or the opening to Sleigh Ride!

I need to convince myself to get up and pack my suitcase.