• In the grand scheme of things, humans are pretty fragile.
• Other animals, however, are essentially indestructible.
• Cockroaches are the most famous example of a living creature that could make it through the apocalypse.

Humans have always been preoccupied with thoughts of the end of the world, from the biblical rapture to Y2K to the Mayan calendar ending in 2012.

But the truth of the matter is, any number of natural disasters could take us all out, from nuclear warfare to an asteroid hitting the planet. When that happens, we might not make it out alive, but that doesn’t mean life on earth will cease to exist. Read on for more!

Tardigrades, aka water bears, have been called “the most indestructible animal on earth.” They grow to be barely more than a millimeter.

National Geographic bestowed the title upon these little guys. According to them, tardigrades are expected to avoid extinction for the next six billion years, until the sun blows up and becomes a red giant.

They’d be safe from asteroids, since they can live at “volcanic vents at the bottom of the ocean.” Tardigrades can also survive without food or water for up to 30 years, aren’t affected by temperature extremes or radiation exposure, and can even live in space.

Ants are more than prepared to handle a zombie apocalypse.

According to the New York Post, scientists proved that ants are better equipped to figure out if an ant among them has been infected with a pathogen or virus than humans are. Before a disease even has a chance to spread, ants will kill an infected member of their crew.

Ants can also survive in almost any climate, including the Sahara Desert. There’s also a species of aquatic ants that lives in the ocean. They’ve got the hook up on both land and sea.

Mummichog, a type of fish, evolved so they can survive in highly toxic water.

Mummichog goes by a few different names, like killifish or mud minnows. Recently, it was discovered by National Geographic that some of these fish had adapted enough to survive in rivers that were 8,000 times more toxic than the initial lethal dose. Surviving nuclear pollution? Check.

In general, these fish are extremely adaptable. They can live in both fresh and saltwater and are in total control of their genome. They have the ability to turn genes on and off depending on their environment, according to NewScientist.

Scorpions have been on the planet for hundreds of millions of years, and have shown no signs of slowing down.

Scorpions are incredibly adaptable. They can survive in deserts, forests, and even mountains. In fact, according to National Geographic, researchers have frozen scorpions overnight only to watch them thaw out and walk away perfectly fine the next morning.

Scorpions can also slow their metabolism rate to the point where they can survive on one insect for an entire year.

Cockroaches are the classic apocalypse-friendly bug.

German cockroaches, it turns out, are inching closer and closer to invincibility, according to Fox News.

“Cockroaches developing resistance to multiple classes of insecticides at once will make controlling these pests almost impossible with chemicals alone,” said one scientist. Essentially, they can’t be killed with just one type of insecticide.

Besides that, cockroaches can eat anything, even rotten food, have an “expanded family of immunity genes,” and can grow to be up to two inches long.

Cockroaches were reportedly seen to be scurrying around the wreckage after the atomic bombs were released in Hiroshima and Nagasaki – the Mythbusters even proved that cockroaches can survive that amount of radiation.

The Devil Worm

Can survive: Crippling pressure, lack of oxygen, high temperature.

This species of nematode, only recently discovered in 2011, has been found living up to 2.2 miles below the surface of the Earth. It blew away the previous record for multicellular organisms by a full mile. These worms spend their lives in total darkness, drinking 12,000 year old water and eating simple bacteria.

The Immortal Jellyfish

Can survive: The aging process.

These jellyfish have the ability to revert back to their infant stages in adverse conditions, making them effectively immortal. There doesn’t seem to be any limit on the number of times that they’re able to revert back to their infancy. Unfortunately, they’re highly vulnerable to predation and disease every time they live out their immature, smaller stages.

The Pompeii Worm

Can survive: Extreme heat, variance in temperature.

These deep-sea worms live exclusively in thermal vents in the ocean floor. Their tails are in the vents, which achieve temperatures up to 176 degrees Fahrenheit. Their heads however, poke out of the vents in order for the pompeii worms to capture prey.

This results in half of their bodies experiencing temperatures over 100 degrees lower. It’s thought that their resistance to heat is due to a coating of specialized bacteria on their bodies, which may provide a large degree of insulation for the worm.

The Himalayan Jumping Spider

Can survive: Low pressure, freezing temperatures.

The polar opposite of the devil worm, this spider holds the record for the animal that claims residency at a higher point than any other (4.1 miles above sea level). It’s able to survive long periods without food, freezing temperatures, and a distinct lack of atmospheric pressure. The only sources of nutrition available to the Himlayan jumping spider are the tiny insects that get blown up the mountain by the high winds.

The Red Flat Bark Beetle

Can survive: Extreme cold.

This insect, which is native to the northern areas of Alaska and Canada, is able to resist temperatures up to -150 degrees Celsius (-238 Fahrenheit) by producing an antifreeze protein that prevents the crystallization of its blood. Its blood is also fortified with glycerol, which further halts freezing.