Image Source: http:// www. microscopy-uk. org. uk / mag / wimsmall / extra / rotiw. jpg
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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.