Image Source : http :// www . microscopy-uk . org . uk / mag / wimsmall / extra / rotiw . jpg
06
Extremophile Superheroes
As humans , we are very selective about our living conditions . We require air , food and water . We can only survive in a slim range of pressures , salinities , and acidities . Everything has to be " just perfect ". And there are actually creatures , known as extremophiles , which can survive in conditions we would consider deadly . The literal translation of " extremophiles " is " lover of extremes ". . These organisms can live and survive in places and conditions we never thought life could exist . One such organism is the rotifer , a microscopic Wonder Woman that can live in wet environments . When there is no rain , she goes into a state of suspended animation where her metabolic processes are lowered until water is available again . While in this sleep state she is almost invulnerable . Evil forces can try plunging her into liquid nitrogen at -196 ° C , then boiling her up at 100 ° C , and then even irradiating her . With a kiss of water , the rotifer will wake up without having sustained any damage ! The discovery of extremophiles changed our understanding of them , and has inspired scientists and engineers to harness their superpowers for better in order to develop groundbreaking technologies that can revolutionize our lives and perhaps even save the world .