ABSTRACT
Some microbes are very hardy and can survive extreme temperatures ranging from hot volcanic pools to near-freezing pockets of brine beneath thick layers of ice. The deepest ocean trenches support a rich microbial life despite high pressures, high levels of salt and toxic minerals, and a complete absence of oxygen and sunlight. Some heat-loving microbes can’t grow at all below 85°C, preferring a cosier habitat of at least 110°C or above! At the other extreme, Antarctic explorers have found rich soups of bacteria growing in pools of brine beneath 65 metres of ice. One of the toughest bacteria on Earth, Deinococcus radiodurans, can survive radiation doses thousands of times higher than those that kill humans.
