cryptobiosis
KRIP-toe-by-OH-sis
Definition
A physiological state of extreme inactivity and suspended metabolism in certain organisms, allowing them to survive harsh environmental conditions by essentially pausing their life functions.
Etymology
The word is derived from the Greek 'kryptos' (hidden) and 'bios' (life), combined with the suffix '-sis' to describe the condition of having a hidden or suspended life.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe how an ancient nematode found in Siberian permafrost survived for 46,000 years in a state where its metabolism was reduced to an undetectable level.
A single teaspoon of soil from a healthy forest floor contains more living organisms — bacteria, fungi, protists, nematodes — than there are humans on Earth, and most of the species in that spoonful have never been named or described
Read the full article ↗ScienceBlog.com