IELTS Listening: Tardigrades

<p>This IELTS Listening Part 4 is about research into microscopic animals called <strong>tardigrades</strong> or ‘water bears’. </p><p>The speaker explains their extreme survival abilities - a topic that we covered in the previous Reading Podcast ('The secret of staying young').</p><p>This is an essential topic in IELTS, so don't miss this chance to review the vocabulary related to ageing and longevity.</p><p>You'll also pick up lots of tips related to gapfill questions.</p><p>Get the full lesson on my website:</p><p>https://ieltsetc.com/2026/01/ielts-vocabulary-topic-ageing/</p><p>#ielts #ieltslistening</p><p><strong>Useful Vocabulary</strong></p><ul><li><strong>conservation status</strong> 🌍 - the level of protection or risk faced by a species</li><li><strong>decade</strong> 🗓️ - a period of ten years</li><li><strong>endangered</strong> ⚠️ - at risk of disappearing completely</li><li><strong>extinction</strong> ☄️ - the total disappearance of a species</li><li><strong>habitat</strong> 🌿 - the natural place where an animal or plant lives</li><li><strong>invertebrate</strong> 🦐 - an animal without a backbone</li><li><strong>metabolism</strong> ⚙️ - the chemical processes that keep an organism alive</li><li><strong>microscopic</strong> 🔬 - so small it can only be seen with a microscope</li><li><strong>species</strong> 🧬 - a group of similar organisms that can reproduce</li><li><strong>thriving</strong> 🌟 - growing well and surviving successfully</li></ul>