But these are rare and specialized niche organisms, what biologists call "extremophiles, " because they love extreme environmental conditions.

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They are caused by the excretions of extremophiles, microorganisms that prosper in starved conditions most forms of life can't endure.

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Scientists in Australia have also found antibiotic properties in marine extremophiles.

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Extremophiles have shown some practical value in the past decade.

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Extremophiles comprise principally bacteria, which have the remarkable ability to thrive in conditions that would be hazardous to other lifeforms - extremes of temperature, radiation, salinity, and metal toxicity.

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The toughness of these bugs--which are types of bacteria or archaea called extremophiles--has long attracted researchers hoping to put them to work in industrial settings such as environmental cleanups or fuel production.

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