Microorganisms that grow in impossible conditions
Extremophiles
Microorganisms that prefer to grow in those conditions
where life is impractical are called extremophiles.
No doubt, our earth is full of diversity in both flora
and fauna, but in earlier times, it was considered silly to expect that any organism
could flourish in so tough conditions, but fact is fact and it is true that
there are organisms that are able to live at-
- Extremely high temperature (Thermophile or Hyperthermophile)
- High pressure (Piezophile)
- Highly acidic atmosphere (Acidophile)
- Highly basic atmosphere(Alkaliphile)
- High concentration of heavy metal in the solution (Metallotolrant)
- Can resist high levels of ionizing radiations (Radioresistant)
- Remain alive from extremely long times under the rocks at low temperature (Cryophile or Polycryophile)
- High concentrations of salt (halophile)
- High concentrations of sugar (Osmophile)
- Polyextremophile, which are capable of growing in various extremophile conditions
- Thermoacidophile who can live at high extreme temperature and high acidity
- Grow in oxygen less atmosphere (anaerobe)
- Lithoautotroph, which live on the carbon extracted from CO2 and exergonic inorganic oxidation
- Nutrition less atmosphere (Oligotroph)
- Extremely dry conditions (Xerophile)
These facts show that it is not surprising to find some
type of microorganism at a place where everything dies.
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