All Extremophiles articles
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NewsBelgium’s top science foundation honors 'Virus Hunter'
’Virus Hunter’ Ken Stedman has been named an International Collen-Francqui Professor for the 2026-27 academic year, an honor the Francqui Foundation reserves for scientists it considers among the best in their field.
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NewsGroundbreaking research to sequence Antarctic genomes from microbes to whales
A molecular microbial ecologist and biological oceanographer has been awarded $18.4 million to lead a project that will pave the way for the next generation of Antarctic research. This research infrastructure will enable researchers to understand how Antarctic life has evolved and adapted to extreme conditions, while also seeding innovation.
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NewsHot spring organism breaks record for heat tolerance of complex life
Scientists describe a new species of amoeba that can eat and reproduce in hot spring water as warm as 63°C (145°F) in California’s Lassen Volcanic National Park. The amoeba can protect itself at temperatures up to 70°C (158°F) by changing shape and forming a protective outer layer.
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NewsNovel database reveals hidden diversity and potential of deep-sea microbes
Scientists have spearheaded Global Ocean Reference Genomes Dark (GORG-Dark), the first global atlas of single-cell microbes living in the aphotic ocean. It contains more than 9,600 genomes from individual microbial cells collected across a broad range of depths and locations, including the Mariana Trench and the Antarctic.
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NewsMolecular insight into biological nitrogen fixation close to the boiling point
Scientists have purified a nitrogen-fixing enzyme from a deep-sea microorganism that shows extreme heat-stability and is possibly of ancient origin. The molybdenum-containing enzyme has been captured in a “turnover” state, highlighting a universal mechanistic principle among nitrogenases.
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NewsUnder pressure: How a deep-sea protein adapts to an extreme environment
Researchers have uncovered a molecular strategy that enables a deep-sea protein to remain stable under extreme pressure. As pressure increases, the protein assembles into groups of three, called a trimeric structure, and stabilizes itself through a process known as oligomerization-mediated structural stabilization.
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CareersTrusting in science: Vito Latorre reports back on Parliamentary Links Day
University of East Anglia PhD student Vito Latorre shares his experiences of representing Applied Microbiology International at the Parliamentary Links Day in Westminster earlier this summer.
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FeaturesEarth’s “little Marses”: how extremophiles are shaping astrobiology
There are places on our planet where the environmental conditions closely resemble those on Mars. These terrestrial analogues have become natural laboratories where scientists study the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
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CareersA day in the life: Discovering the hidden microbes of Britain’s historic waters
PhD student Wewerly Fernandes outlines her investigations into the microorganisms living in Britain’s historic wells and natural springs - once believed to hold healing properties and linked to legends of Merlin and renowned figures like Robert Burns.
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NewsWeather and human activity impact lake extremophiles
Researchers found that extreme changes, both due to weather and human activity, are reshaping microbial communities in the Great Salt Lake that form the base for a large food web.
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NewsMove over quokkas: Rottnest’s salt lake bacteria could be the island’s next big claim to fame
Scientists have read the full genetic code of bacteria from the salt lakes of Wadjemup (Rottnest Island), giving them their clearest picture yet of how these tiny organisms could be used to make biodegradable plastic.
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NewsDeep-sea extremophile yields protein that forms super stable biofilm
Scientists have discovered a protein secreted by a deep-sea extremophile — an organism adapted to extreme environmental conditions — that self-assembles into a biofilm and is highly stable, boosting its potential for biomedical applications.
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NewsThree interlinked factors are needed to sustainably grow microbes for MICP
A new review investigates cost-effective and greener ways to grow microorganisms for use in Microbially Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation (MICP), a microbial process that precipitates calcium carbonate, and identifies three interlinked factors that determine success or failure.
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NewsNew biobank decodes survival secrets of extreme acid mine drainage microbes
Over 97 percent of microorganisms in acid mine drainage have never been cultured, leaving their metabolism and adaptation strategies locked as “microbial dark matter.” Now, a new culturomics‑driven resource called the Microbial Biobank of AMD (mbAMD) changes that.
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NewsPathogens survive conditions on extraterrestrial locations
Microorganisms from our planet could survive on celestial bodies where water is present, such as Mars, reveals a study focusing on simulated space conditions. Our immune system reacts less effectively to pathogens that have undergone such a simulated space journey.
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NewsOrganized microbial ‘workforces’ keep Earth’s underground biosphere running
By studying life deep inside a former gold mine, scientists uncovered evidence that Earth’s hidden biosphere operates less like a random collection of microbes and more like an organized workforce. From site to site, the ecosystems were incredibly different from one another but largely stable through time.
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NewsÖtzi and his microbiome: a 5,300-year-old relationship
Researchers have obtained a detailed picture of the microbial community associated with the Iceman mummy Ötzi. The study provides insights into a complex microbiome, ranging from the gut flora of a Copper Age human to cold-adapted yeasts.
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NewsExtreme adaptation helps Dead Sea single-celled organisms to swim
Researchers have described in detail a structural adaptation supporting one of the Dead Sea’s few hardy inhabitants — a single-celled archaea called Haloarcula marismortui (H. marismortui). They characterized the proteins that form the archaeal filament, a long tail-like structure essential for movement.
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FeaturesBottling the extremes: culturing the hidden microbiomes of caves and deserts
Imagine an environment so extreme that most life cannot survive: a pitch-dark cave deep beneath the mountains of Northern Spain, or a hyper-arid desert in Chile where rainfall is virtually non-existent. These are not lifeless wastelands. Beneath cave walls and within the dusty top layer of desert soils, thriving communities of cyanobacteria, green algae, and fungi quietly engineer their ecosystems: fixing carbon, weathering rock, and cycling nutrients in conditions that would defeat most organisms on Earth.
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NewsResearchers investigate soil microbes from around the world for new antibacterial drugs
A team of researchers is looking to nature to find microbes that can be used to create new antibiotics to treat the growing threat of drug-resistant bacteria. They will screen soil microbes from around the world to hunt for sources of new antibacterial drugs.