Burning Man Floods Reawaken Three-Eyed 'Dinosaur Shrimp'

Burning Man 2023 went from festival to disaster relief area in a matter of hours after heavy rains inundated Nevada's Black Rock Desert, stranding thousands of people struggling to escape on muddy roads. While the flooding proved a tremendous problem for attendees, it was a golden opportunity for some tiny creatures embedded in the sand.

Triops and fairy shrimp, like the widely known tardigrade or "water bear," are extremophiles capable of surviving harsh conditions for several years in suspended animation. These critters in particular are able to withstand years-long droughts by remaining dormant in eggs embedded in sediment, only to be reawakened when floods create ideal conditions for them to emerge.

The dried out lake bed of Black Rock Playa is home to many of these animals, so the Burning Man floods presented the perfect chance for them to join the party. Triops longicaudatus, or the longtail tadpole shrimp, are often referred to as "dinosaur shrimp" because of their relation to Triops cancriformis, one of the world's oldest living creatures. In addition to having two eyes, they also have a pit organ that functions as a third eye of sorts by detecting changes in light and infrared waves.

Fairy shrimp, commonly referred to as sea monkeys, have also become a part of the festivities. Now that everything has aligned for these desiccated animals to come out of hiding, they can look forward to the next generation of playa residents. Within the next week, they'll start laying eggs of their own, though it all depends on if the weather and wet conditions hold up.

The situation might not have been fun for celebrities like Chris Rock and Diplo, but it might as well have been Christmas for these hardy creatures.