Life discovered in extreme environment
{{date|January 10, 2005}}

Around seventy new species of microbes have been discovered in a highly concentrated salt basin of the Mediterranean Sea, so salty that almost half of the liquid is magnesium chloride. Researchers, led by Paul van der Wielen at the University of Groningen in the [[Netherlands]], found abundant colonies of {{w|halophile}} microbes in ancient salty pockets that are devoid of oxygen.

It has been suggested that pools of a similar liquid might be able to exist on [[Mars]], providing a possible niche for simple life to exist there.

== Sources ==
Nature [http://www.nature.com/news/2005/050103/full/050103-7.html Microbes brave briny basins] 6 January 2005

NASA [http://powerweb.grc.nasa.gov/pvsee/publications/mars/Halobacteria.pdf Martian Water: Are There Extant Halobacteria on Mars?] 2001

Yahoo/Reuters [http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=585&e=1&u=/nm/20050106/sc_nm/science_microbes_dc Salt-Loving Microbes Found in Extreme Environment] 6 January 2005

[[Category:January 6, 2005]]
[[Category:Netherlands]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Mars]]
[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:Science and technology]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Species discovery]]
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Around seventy new species of microbes have been discovered in a highly concentrated salt basin of the Mediterranean Sea, so salty that almost half of the liquid is magnesium chloride. Researchers, led by Paul van der Wielen at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, found abundant colonies of  microbes in ancient salty pockets that are devoid of oxygen.

It has been suggested that pools of a similar liquid might be able to exist on Mars, providing a possible niche for simple life to exist there.

NASA  Martian Water: Are There Extant Halobacteria on Mars? 2001

Yahoo/Reuters  Salt-Loving Microbes Found in Extreme Environment 6 January 2005
January 6, 2005 Netherlands Biology Mars Space Science and technology Europe Mediterranean Sea Species discovery