The Kolling Lab at Marshall University began researching semi-microscopic invertebrates called tardigrades in 2022 through a grant from the National Science Foundation in collaboration with The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The tiny worm-like creatures with eight legs are known as water bears, and can adapt to survive extreme conditions. Marshall University said on its website that one outcome of the NSF grant is the “Tardigrade Trading Post,” an outreach project encouraging K-12 students to conduct experiments with and discover water bears in their own backyards. Findings from the research “could address biotic space travel, drought-tolerant crops, and potentially mitigating age-related illnesses,” according to the University.