AUTHOR=Merino Nancy , Aronson Heidi S. , Bojanova Diana P. , Feyhl-Buska Jayme , Wong Michael L. , Zhang Shu , Giovannelli Donato TITLE=Living at the Extremes: Extremophiles and the Limits of Life in a Planetary Context JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology VOLUME=10 YEAR=2019 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00780 DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2019.00780 ISSN=1664-302X ABSTRACT=

Prokaryotic life has dominated most of the evolutionary history of our planet, evolving to occupy virtually all available environmental niches. Extremophiles, especially those thriving under multiple extremes, represent a key area of research for multiple disciplines, spanning from the study of adaptations to harsh conditions, to the biogeochemical cycling of elements. Extremophile research also has implications for origin of life studies and the search for life on other planetary and celestial bodies. In this article, we will review the current state of knowledge for the biospace in which life operates on Earth and will discuss it in a planetary context, highlighting knowledge gaps and areas of opportunity.