Life Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! === Extremophiles === {{further|Extremophile}} [[File:Deinococcus radiodurans.jpg|thumb|upright|''[[Deinococcus radiodurans]]'' is an [[extremophile]] that can resist extremes of cold, dehydration, vacuum, acid, and radiation exposure.]] To survive, some microorganisms have evolved to withstand [[psychrophile|freezing]], [[xerophile|complete desiccation]], [[oligotroph|starvation]], high levels of [[radioresistance|radiation exposure]], and other physical or chemical challenges. These [[extremophile]] microorganisms may survive exposure to such conditions for long periods.<ref name=astrobiology/><ref name="NYT-20160912">{{cite news |last=Chang |first=Kenneth |title=Visions of Life on Mars in Earth's Depths |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/13/science/south-african-mine-life-on-mars.html |date=12 September 2016 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=12 September 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160912225220/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/13/science/south-african-mine-life-on-mars.html |archive-date=12 September 2016 }}</ref> They excel at exploiting uncommon sources of energy. Characterization of the [[morphology (biology)|structure]] and metabolic diversity of microbial communities in such [[extreme environment]]s is ongoing.<ref>{{cite journal |first1=Pabulo Henrique |last1=Rampelotto |year=2010 |volume=2 |issue=6 |pages=1602β1623 |title=Resistance of microorganisms to extreme environmental conditions and its contribution to astrobiology |doi=10.3390/su2061602 |bibcode=2010Sust....2.1602R |journal=Sustainability|url=http://urlib.net/dpi.inpe.br/plutao@80/2010/06.29.20.11 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page