Why+So+Special?

**//Pyrolobus fumarii: //** You shouldn't be surprised to hear that thermophiles have won many records. Out of many, the one that surprised me the most was Pyrolobus fumarii. This amazing species of archaea occupies the rank of hyperthermophile, barophile (pressure), and even acidophile! It was first documented in 1997 on the Mid-Atlantic-Ridge, near the chimney of a black smoker. A black smoker is a type of underwater hot-spring, that releases minerals dissolved in water that turn black when they hit the ocean water. These minerals then pile up by the source, hence "chimneys". It lives best at a temperature of 223°F (106°C), but can even survive at 235°F (113°C). This particular specimen was found in an environment that had 247 times as much pressure you're in now. After reading this, you shouldn't be surprised to know that it beat the record of living in the hottest temperature known for any living organism at the time. = = **//Strain 121: //** Pyrolobus' record was only broken after several more years, when Strain 121 was discovered to survive 250°F (121°C) This was a discovery of interest, considering that hospitals and other scientists use steel pressure and steam chambers called autoclaves to clean tools. This interested scientists because they functioned at the same temperature as Strain 121. Consequently, we are lucky that Strain 121 does not transmit disease, for then hospitals would no longer be "spotless" and discoveries no longer "rational" But that doesn't calm down researchers, considering that since this species of microbe is able to live in our autoclaves, disease transmitters may be able to too.

**//Types: //** There are four main types of microbes in terms of respiration means.

1. Obligate Aerobes - REQUIRE O2 for growth, which is used as the final electron acceptor in respiration
2.Obligate Anaerobes / Aerophobes - Do not need or use O2. O2 is a toxic substance for them that kills them or stops growth. Obligate anaerobic procaryotes may live by fermentation, anaerobic respiration, bacterial photosynthesis 3. Facultative Anaerobes / Facultative Aerobes - Microbes that can switch between aerobic and anaerobic respiration. Under anaerobic conditions (no O2) they grow by fermentation or anaerobic respiration, but in the presence of O2 they switch to aerobic respiration. 4. Aerotolerant Anaerobe - An anaerobic microbe that tolerates O2, even though it uses exclusively fermentation.

How In H2O:

You might also be asking now: "Water is H2O, right, and fish can absorb oxygen from water than how can a thermophile not tolerate oxygen?" Well, the answer is simple - the warmer the water, the less oxygen it can hold, the colder the water, the more dissolved oxygen it can hold. An excellent example of this is soda. Soda and Beer. When you open a bottle of soda or beer, bubbles of carbon dioxide (CO2) begin to form and rise as the compound is released from the bottle. This is the result of a drop in pressure that occurs when the bottle is opened. If the liquid is very cold, the gas release will be slow, but if it is warm and shaken before opening, the CO2, will surge from the open bottle. Even though Carbon Dioxide was used in this example, it is the same concept. And you should agree with me, that hot temperatures are not a problem, when you live deep in a hot-spring, and pressure is a piece of cake, when, like Pyrobulous fumarii, you are 3.2 km below sea level.

= //**So? **// = This fact has, not surprisingly, led scientists to believe that it is possible to send thermophiles, and other "philes" to other planets in the solar system, such as Mars. These experiments may then lead to genetic engineering in other animals, based on the thermophile's genes, to mutate them into more resistant creatures that can survive extreme environments. Gosh, I wouldn't be surprised a bit if they came up with a toucan that can survive Jupiter's force of gravity and poisonous atmosphere, with the use of no apparatuses.

= //**How You Can Help: **// = Well, if want to help this amazing domain of life, you should be happy to know that it is not hard. One of the best ways to help is to visit their habitats. By visiting Yellowstone, for example, you help fund the park to keep the Hot-Springs well maintained. Another way, that is very useful is to donate to the the societies that maintain the habitats, or the the researching companies. Even easier then those two, is to educate yourself and others about these amazing cells. People tend to care more when they know what to care about.

= = =//**What Does This Have to Do With You and Me: **//=

Well, if you are still not convinced that this is an awesome subject, maybe my synthesis project will do:    These pictures show my synthesis project. For creativity, I created a model of the Grand Prismatic Spring, the one shown on the homepage. I used plasted, plastic bottles, moss, rocks and paint, and some elbow grease too, to create a 3-D model of the feature, listing the colors according to temperature.