10 Unexpected Places Bacteria Live In

It would seem that bacteria should be present only where other lifeforms exist. However, scientists have found bacteria in environments where it is difficult to imagine any animate creature living at all. In this article, we will talk about the most incredible habitats of bacteria.

1. Inside stones.

For a long time, it was believed that sunlight is an indispensable condition for life to grow. Even those organisms that do not come into direct contact with sunlight (for example, those that live in your stomach) consume substances synthesized from light. But newly uncovered data does not fit into this theory. Scientists who have investigated the gold mines in South Africa found bacteria at a depth of almost 2.5 km. These bacteria, apparently, exist due to radioactive waste and are not in a hurry to leave their stone fortress. In addition, they are extremely slow: thus, most of the bacteria that we encounter divide themselves daily, while the period of division for "underground" bacteria varies from 1 year to 300 years.

2. NASA’s "clean room.”

Ideal sterility is the primary goal of NASA's "clean room." To ensure the complete absence of microbes (which is necessary for testing spacecraft), all kinds of disinfection facilities are used, and everyone who enters the room undergoes a triple treatment and must wear a protective suit – in general, no less what you would expect than in operating rooms or in quarantine chambers housing dangerous viruses. But here's the ill luck: one bacterium has learned to survive in such conditions. The bacterium was named Tersicoccus phoenicis, from the Latin tergere "rub, wipe, clean" and from the name of the Phoenix spacecraft, in which it was first discovered. The scientists have met Tersicoccus phoenicis only twice – in two different clean rooms. It dwells only in sterile environments. It is also possible that we just do not notice it in the background of more common bacteria.

3. The most ancient ice formations.

We store food in the refrigerator, because many life processes slow down at low temperatures. Therefore, scientists were surprised to find a huge population of bacteria in million-year-old ice. The most ancient ice formations on Earth are located in Antarctica, and one can find microbes living there from time immemorial. It is assumed that the population of these bacteria exceeds the human population by more than 10,000 times. And now, in the era of global warming, these comrades are likely to find themselves in the ocean – in a new, but obviously more hospitable environment.

4. Boiling water.

Water should be boiled to destroy all harmful bacteria – this is known even to a child. However, “all” of them is not possible: some bacteria, for example, Clostridium botulinum, can survive. Otherwise, Clostridium botulinum is the causative agent of severe food intoxication that attacks the nervous system. This bacterium loves anaerobic conditions, meaning those where there is no oxygen, so it is perfectly adapted to boiling water, canned foods, and sealed packages. To get rid of a tenacious bacterium, you need high acidity, high oxygen level, sugar content or a temperature of more than 120 degrees.

5. 11 km below sea level.

Well, what bacteria could possibly live at the bottom of the Mariana Trench? Well, heterotrophic bacteria are not so skeptical and calmly dwell in the Challenger's Abyss, the deepest point in the Earth's surface. They support themselves by means of tiny pieces of organic compounds that settle there. But exactly how organic material reaches such a depth is a mystery.

6. The upper layers of the Earth's atmosphere.

Usually, we expect to meet bacteria where representatives of the animal kingdom live. Contrary to that belief, a large population of bacteria was discovered in the Earth's atmosphere. Although our atmosphere is not inhabited by animals that can carry bacteria, carbon seems to be enough – and it seems to be “nourishing” them quite well. Bacteria that despite gravity can make up to 20% of the particles in the upper layers of the atmosphere – apparently, they are not as uncomfortable as they seem at first glance. How the bacteria in general have climbed so far up is still a question: according to one answer, this was aided by strong winds and variable atmospheric pressure.

7. Our eyes.

Yes, we know that the bacteria in the human body are no less than, in fact, ours, but somehow one wants to think that we coexist in peaceful symbiosis, mutually supporting each other. We hasten to upset you: some of the most insidious bacteria can live in our eyeball, in particular in the conjunctiva, the shell that covers the eye from the outside (and the back surface of the eyelids). The names of the bacteria, you most likely know: Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae has, i.e. chlamydia and gonorrhea. Yes, tears protect us as well as they can, secreting enzymes that poison dangerous bacteria, but this does not guarantee the complete disposal of them. So it's best to keep your eyes clean.

8. The Antarctic.

Many fans of fish and seafood are afraid of mercury poisoning, which sometimes accumulates in the tissues of marine life. One of the reasons for the toxicity of fish may be the recently found strain of Antarctic bacteria. The bacterium Nitrospinia converts mercury into methylmercury, which causes serious diseases that damage the nervous system. Absorbing mercury and transforming it into a toxic compound, these bacteria themselves become food for fish, and soon, along with the methylmercury, they arrive on our plates. Be careful when choosing your fish and eat food that removes mercury from the body (among them, by the way, there are a lot of delicious ones: strawberries, raspberries, peanut butter, mango, etc.).

9. Our glabella.

The glabella is part of the frontal bone between the superciliary arches and eyebrows – not exactly the most obvious habitat for bacteria. Nevertheless, it is here that the monstrous appearance of Demodex folliculorum (the so-called "eye mite") and Propionibacteria (propionic acid bacteria, the main causative agent of acne) is found. They plow the expanses of our forehead in search of carbon-containing matter and, as a rule, are harmless, but sometimes they can cause infections that lead to acne and irritation.

10. The Dead Sea.

If you think that the name of the lake does not presage any forms of life, you are mistaken: even such salty waters are hospitable for many. Bacteria living in the Dead Sea are adapted simultaneously to high salinity and freshwater, as the level of salt in the water changes constantly. Bacteria-prokaryotes have found a loophole for themselves – freshwater sources. They live at the very bottom of the Dead Sea, near the outlet of fresh water, living through photosynthesis and the oxidation of sulfides.