Limits for Life Under Multiple Extremes

What is it about?

Aside from its requirement for liquid water, no definite limits have been established for life under any extreme. In this paper, cardinal growth data published for 67 prokaryotic strains are employed to construct novel 3D maps of the global parameter space for microbial cell division under extremes of temperature, pH, salt (NaCl) concentrations, and pressure.

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Why is it important?

Our review reveals a fundamental lack of information concerning the growth and physiological responses of extremophiles to multiple stressors. This knowledge gap precludes a precise definition of the limits for life on Earth, with critical implications for our understanding of the biosphere, the environmental sciences, and their wider applications in society. Additionally, our uncertainty about the boundaries for life directly impedes the search for other habitable planets.