This post was written by ScIU Undergraduate Intern Komal Kumar.
The discovery of extremophiles – organisms that thrive in extreme environments – completely changed scientists’ perspectives on the conditions necessary for life. These evolutionary marvels provide context for the origins of life, evolution, and are maybe the best case for the possibility of the existence of life on other planets with extreme environments. Moreover, extremophiles are being widely studied among biotechnologists and engineers to understand how we can utilize their unique capabilities. Here are some of the types of extremophiles and the characteristics that make them incredibly useful: