Lecture 17: Life on the Edge
Extremophiles are organisms that are adapted to survive in extreme \nenvironments. This lecture describes the challenges that\nextremes of heat, cold, acidity, salinity, and radiation pose to\norganisms, and show examples of how evolution has nonetheless allowed\nsome organisms to adapt to not just survive but thrive in such extreme\nconditions. Finally, we will explore the possible limits of life on\nEarth, and find that while you can make things pretty extreme and still\nhave organisms adapt, you reach the limit if there is no water. Rather\nthan being oddballs, these organisms give us important insights into the\norigins of life on Earth, and widens the possibilities for life on other\nworlds. Recorded live on 2009 Oct 16 in Room 1005 Smith Laboratory on\nthe Columbus campus of The Ohio State University.