extremophiles
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Thick Clumps of Bacteria Can Survive for Years in the Vacuum of Space
A hardy species of bacteria can survive the harsh conditions of space for prolonged periods, but only after forming a thick, congealed clump, according to new research. The discovery could bolster the panspermia hypothesis: the idea that asteroids seeded life on Earth.
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Bacteria Found in Nuclear Reactors Could Be the Secret to Faster, Cheaper Vaccines
The extremophile bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans was first discovered in 1956 at Oregon State University, where it was busy ruining a gamma ray experiment designed to sterilise a tin of ground meat. The “sterilised” meat spoiled, thanks to D. radiodurans and its preternatural durability in the face of radiation: The hearty microbe can withstand somewhere up…
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Evidence Of Arsenic-Breathing Microbial Life Found In Pacific Ocean
Researchers working off the coast of Mexico have discovered evidence of arsenic-breathing life in oxygen-starved waters. These resilient microbes are a vestige of Earth’s ancient past, but they could also be a sign of things to come under the influence of climate change.
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Photosynthesizing Bacteria Found Thriving Thousands Of Feet Below Earth’s Surface
An international team of researchers has identified a peculiar population of cyanobacteria living within rocks deep below Earth’s surface—a surprising discovery given that cyanobacteria require sunlight to survive. Or so scientists thought.