Extremophile Collection

Water bear, light micrograph C016 / 8581
Water bear, differential interference contrast (DIC) light micrograph. Water bears, or tardigrades, (phylum Tardigrada) are small, water-dwelling

Water bear, SEM C016 / 9084
Water bear (Echiniscus granulatus). Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) showing the underside of a water bear, or tardigrade (phylum Tardigrada)

Halobacterium archaea artwork C013 / 5126
Halobacterium archaea artwork. Halobacteria is classed as archaea, a relatively new domain introduced when DNA of bacteria revealed that genes of archaea are more similar to eukaryotes

Pyrococcus furiosus archaea artwork
Pyroccocus furiosus archaea, artwork. Archaea are single-celled organisms that are similar to bacteria but have been found to have higher organism characteristics

Tardigrade or water bear egg SEM
Water bear (Macrobiotus sp.) egg, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). Water bears (or tardigrades) are tiny invertebrates that live in aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats such as lichen

Nitrobacter sp bacteria, TEM

Water bear, SEM C016 / 9085
Water bear (Echiniscus granulatus). Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) showing the underside of a water bear, or tardigrade (phylum Tardigrada)

Tabellaria diatoms, SEM C016 / 9599
Tabellaria diatoms. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a Tabellaria sp. diatom colony. Diatoms are a group of photosynthetic, single-celled algae containing about 10, 000 species

Water bear, SEM C016 / 9083
Water bear (Echiniscus granulatus). Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the head of a water bear, or tardigrade (phylum Tardigrada)

Tabellaria diatoms, SEM C016 / 9600
Tabellaria diatoms. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a Tabellaria sp. diatom colony. Diatoms are a group of photosynthetic, single-celled algae containing about 10, 000 species

Water bear, SEM C016 / 9086
Water bear (Echiniscus granulatus). Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a water bear, or tardigrade (phylum Tardigrada)

Water bear, SEM C016 / 9082
Water bear (Echiniscus granulatus). Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the head of a water bear, or tardigrade (phylum Tardigrada)

Tabellaria diatoms, SEM C016 / 9601
Tabellaria diatoms. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a Tabellaria sp. diatom colony. Diatoms are a group of photosynthetic, single-celled algae containing about 10, 000 species

Water bear, SEM C016 / 9087
Water bear (Echiniscus granulatus). Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a water bear, or tardigrade (phylum Tardigrada)

Exploring Europas ocean, artwork
Exploring Europas ocean. Artwork of two probes (centre) using lights to explore below the ice covering the ocean on Europa, a moon of Jupiter

Astrobiology researcher Dr Lynn J. Rothschild sampling microbial mats in a lake. These bacteria can survive conditions of high salinity, extreme temperatures and drought

Geothermal pool in Yellowstone National Park, USA
Geothermal pool. View of a geothermal (hot) pool in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA. The pool is heated by hot rocks beneath it

Morning Glory Pool, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA. This geothermal pool is warmed by the volcanic activity beneath it

Grand Prismatic thermal springs aerial
Aerial view of Grand Prismatic thermal spring in Yellowstone National Park, USA. The bright colours are natural. People can be seen walking on the raised trail at the top of this frame giving scale

Night Clepsydra Geyser Yellowstone Park
Long exposure (30 second) exposure of Clepsydra Geyser taken at night by moon light with stars visible in sky. This Geyser is located in the Lower Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park in

Lake Vostok micro-organism, SEM
Lake Vostok micro-organism. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a micro-organism (orange) discovered in ice from Lake Vostok, Antarctica

Cold-loving extremophile bacteria, SEM
Cold-loving extremophile bacteria. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of Rhodoglobus vestalii. This psychrophilic (cold-loving) bacteria was retrieved from a lake in Antarctica

Geobacter metallireducens bacterium, TEM
Geobacter metallireducens bacterium, coloured transmission electron micrograph. This anaerobic bacteriaoxidises organic compounds to form carbon dioxide

Geobacter metallireducens bacteria, TEM
Geobacter metallireducens bacterium, coloured transmission electron micrograph. This anaerobic bacteriaoxidises organic compounds to form carbon dioxide

Radiation resistant bacteria, SEM
Radiation resistant bacteria. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of four Deinococcus radiodurans bacteria forming a tetrad

Ultra-small extremophile bacteria, SEM
Ultra-small extremophile bacteria. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of Chryseobacterium greenlandensis. This bacteria was retrieved from a 120

Bacteriochlorophyll-containing protein. Molecular models showing two views of the bacteriochlorophyll-containing protein found in the bacterium Prosthecochloris aestuarii

Enzyme from a sulphur-reducing bacterium. Molecular model of the enzyme aldehyde oxidoreductase from the Desulfovibrio gigas sulphur-reducing bacterium

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"Exploring the Unseen World: Extremophiles and Their Extraordinary Adaptations" In a world teeming with life, there exists a group of remarkable organisms known as extremophiles. These resilient creatures have evolved to thrive in some of the harshest environments on our planet, pushing the boundaries of what we once thought possible. Take for instance the water bear, also known as Tardigrade. With its pudgy appearance and eight stubby legs, this microscopic creature can withstand extreme conditions that would be fatal to most other organisms. Captured under a light micrograph C016/8581 or SEM C016/9084, these images reveal their incredible resilience. But it's not just water bears that possess such extraordinary abilities. Enter Pyrococcus furiosus archaea and Halobacterium archaea, depicted through stunning artworks like C013/5126. These ancient microbes have adapted to survive in scorching hot volcanic vents and highly saline environments respectively. Even at their earliest stages of life, water bear eggs display an astonishing level of resilience when observed under SEM imaging techniques. The intricate details captured in SEM C016/9085 showcase nature's ability to protect even its tiniest offspring. And let us not forget about Tabellaria diatoms - delicate yet hardy microorganisms found thriving amidst challenging conditions as seen in SEM C016/9599 or 9600. They serve as a testament to how life finds ways to flourish against all odds. Through further exploration using cutting-edge technology like SEM imaging (C016/9083), we uncover more secrets hidden within the microscopic world inhabited by these extremophiles. Each image reveals another glimpse into their fascinating adaptations that allow them to endure hostile surroundings. As we marvel at images like those captured in C016/9086 or 9082 showcasing water bears defying adversity once again, we are reminded of nature's ingenuity.