The article narrates the author's encounter with a tardigrade, or water bear, discovered in moss during a walk. Observing it through a USB microscope brought a sense of wonder and amusement amidst feelings of being overwhelmed by global issues, including climate change and geopolitical tensions. The resilience of water bears, which have existed since the Cambrian period and survived five mass extinctions, serves as a reminder of life’s enduring nature. The experience highlights how simple acts of exploration can provide relief from anxieties about the world.
I had been feeling overwhelmed about the state of the world: the climate crisis, ecological devastation, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and growing political toxicity.
Water bears have existed in a similar form since the Cambrian period, surviving through five mass extinctions, reminding us of life's resilience through the ages.
The water bear stumbled over grains of eroded rock and plant matter, and I felt amused by its bumbling nature, like someone trying to move through a field of beach balls.
My microscope was a portal into a life indifferent to humanity, oblivious to our often reckless actions.
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