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Tardigrade earrings | sterling silver
Tardigrade earrings are for the woman who loves the small, stubborn life most people never see: the student hunting tardigrades in moss, the water scientist, the teacher who tells every class about water bears. Give them to someone whose eyes light up at the word tardigrade, or wear them yourself.
Who It's For
- a new college graduate
- a daughter who works in science
- staff or students at a university
- someone who already has the tardigrade necklace, to make a set
- yourself, if water and the life in it are your work
How a Tardigrade Waits Out Hard Times
Tardigrades are tiny eight-legged animals, most under half a millimetre long, that live in moss, soil and water around the world. When their surroundings dry out, they pull in their legs and shrink into a dried-out barrel called a tun, in which no metabolism can be detected. Many other animals that survive drying rely on the sugar trehalose. Tardigrades make little or none, and lean instead on proteins of their own that help hold their cells together as they dry. Frozen in moss, some have waited decades: tardigrades from Antarctic moss collected in 1983 and kept at -20 °C were revived in 2014, and one went on to lay eggs.
Explore Related Biology Jewelry
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FAQ
How big are they, and how do they fasten?
Each earring measures 18 mm (about 0.7 inch), not counting the hook, about the size of a US dime (17.91 mm). They hang from sterling silver leverback hooks, which clip closed behind the earlobe. Our sterling silver is 925, nickel-free and hypoallergenic, with a high-polish finish. If the silver darkens over time, a soft polishing cloth brings it back.
Is there a matching necklace, or a gold pair?
The earrings come in sterling silver only. For a set in the same metal, the tardigrade necklace comes in sterling silver, with a 22 mm pendant on a 45 cm chain and 5 cm extender. The same necklace is also made in 18K gold vermeil, for someone who already wears gold.
Will they arrive in time, and what if they aren't right?
They ship free worldwide with DHL Express and arrive in 1-5 business days. We pay the import duties and taxes, so there is nothing to pay on delivery. They come in a ready-to-gift jewelry box and festive envelope. If they aren't right, our 30-day “Love It or Return It” policy applies to unworn earrings.
Why is a tardigrade called a water bear?
Because the man usually credited with first describing it called it that. In 1773 the German pastor and naturalist Johann August Ephraim Goeze watched one under his microscope and named it the kleiner Wasserbär, the little water bear, for the way it moves, like a little bear. German speakers still call them Bärtierchen, little bear animals. Three years later the Italian biologist Lazzaro Spallanzani called it il tardigrado, the slow stepper, which gave the group its scientific name, Tardigrada.
Other
In a world where art and science often exist in separate realms, our "Curiosities" collection serves as a harmonious confluence. Drawing inspiration from an eclectic range of scientific phenomena not covered elsewhere. Each piece is meticulously crafted to evoke a sense of wonder. It's jewelry that doesn't just adorn; it educates and fascinates, sparking conversations about the lesser-explored but equally awe-inspiring facets of our universe.
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