Nota: A tradução desta entrada está atualmente em revisão de qualidade, portanto parte do conteúdo é exibida temporariamente apenas em inglês.
Este verbete ainda não foi traduzido para o seu idioma, portanto o original é exibido abaixo.
extremophile
This term describes biological anomalies that defy standard expectations of habitability. It carries a scientific connotation of resilience and specialization, often evoking images of alien-like life forms existing in volcanic vents, salt lakes, or frozen wastes. It is primarily used in academic, biological, and astrobiological contexts to discuss the limits of life.
As a countable noun, it follows standard English pluralization rules. It is typically used to categorize specific species or groups of organisms based on the specific extreme they tolerate, such as thermophiles for heat or halophiles for salt.
Meanings
Examples
Tardigrades are perhaps the most famous example of an extremophile.
Could an extremophile survive in the frozen oceans of Europa?
The lab is studying a specific extremophile that consumes sulfuric acid.
I wonder if any extremophile could live on the surface of Venus.
This extremophile thrives in salt concentrations that would dehydrate any other cell.
We need to isolate the extremophile from the soil sample before the temperature drops.
Look at this data, the extremophiles are actually multiplying in the radiation zone.
The discovery of an extremophile in the deep crust changed our view of the biosphere.