Monday, January 1, 2007

Extremophile Creatures -organisms like no other on Earth but possibly in Space?

I have been interested in extremophile organisms ever since I watched the first video of various extremophile creatures on the bottom of deep sea vents in the Pacific Ocean in the 1990s. These curious organisms are found in the steaming pools in Yellowstone National Park as well as places around the earth. The unique characteristics give us possible clues to organisms which have or still live on Mars and our solar systems moons (Europa of Jupiter) , Mars and possible life forms on extrasolar planets.
More information is being uncovered all the time. Here is the latest.


Date: December 22, 2006


Nanoorganisms: Probe Of Acid Mine Drainage Turns Up Unsuspected Virus-sized Archaea

Science Daily — For 11 years, Jill Banfield at the University of California, Berkeley, has collected and studied the microbes that slime the floors of mines and convert iron to acid, a common source of stream pollution around the world.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061222092509.htm

more about these organisms

- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Although the terms archaea and extremophile are occasionally used ... There are many different classes of extremophiles, each corresponding to the way its ...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extremophile
Life in Extreme Environments | The Astrobiology Web | Your Online ...
Links to information about thermophiles, halophiles, and other extremophiles both inside and outside of the domain Archaea.
www.astrobiology.com/extreme.htm