Tardigrades, also known as water bears, are minute (0.3 to 1mm) creatures which thrive in fresh water, marine and limno-terrestrial environments. Phylogenetically they are close to nematodes and onychophorans. Tardigrades have fascinated scientists and public alike because of their astonishing ability to resist multiple physical stresses. Depending on the habitat they are isolated from, tardigrades can resist extreme temperatures, high pressure, high dose of ionizing radiation and space vacuum which are deadly to most other life forms. Possibly they are the hardiest animals on earth. This amazing resistance is exhibited when they undergo an anhydrobiotic and ametabolic state called ‘tun’ state which is induced after desiccation. Upon addition of water tuns revert back to active live form. We have isolated tardigrades from the trees of IISc campus which exhibit resistance to some extreme physical stresses. We are investigating the mechanism behind this resistance.