Watch: A Short Film About a Scientist and a Microscopic Being

Tardigrades, more commonly known as water bears, are microscopic animals capable of surviving in conditions that would destroy most life, from extreme cold to the vacuum of space. Much about them remains unknown, and scientists continue to study what their resilience can reveal about the limits of all life

Set against the backdrop of New York City, the short film Absolute Zero was created by Sonya Hanson of the Simons Foundation’s Flatiron Institute and filmmaker Diego Murillo.  The film follows a water bear on the verge of entering a 300-year hibernation state known as a ‘tun-sleep.’ Concurrently, a biologist moves through the city with a strange gift that allows her to understand the otherwise mysterious creature. When their paths intersect, the water bear expresses a longing to return to its home, a place that it cannot fully name. Absolute Zero reflects on themes of displacement, consciousness and the uncertain boundary between life and death.

This film was made as part of Symbiosis, a two-week program that pairs scientists with filmmakers to create short films. This year’s Symbiosis is aligned with the Simons Foundation’s Infinite Sums national initiative, which focuses on the beauty and ubiquity of mathematics.

Symbiosis is part of the Simons Foundation’s Researcher Engagement program, an initiative of the foundation’s Science, Society & Culture division. You can learn more and stream the films here.