| Microorganisms | Taxonomy | Habitat |
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| Current Classification of Life Chart | ||||||||||
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| Scientists are working hard deciding how to place extremophiles in the taxonomy of life. They have found that extremophiles do not fit exactly in with bacteria or eucaryotes on the chart that is used today. In fact scientists believe that extremeophiles have special characteristics that are forcing them to create a sixth kingdom. That kingdom will be Archaea. The chart below is a very rough draft of what the new kingdom will include. It is too early to make the entry for archaea final because so many new extremophiles are still being discovered. | ||||||||||
| Scientists Placement of Archae on Classification Charts | ||||||||||
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| Until 20 years ago scientists classified all living things as either a plant or animal. A third classification, Archaea, is being used to identify a third group of organisms that are very different from fungi, bacteria, and protists.Dr. Carl Woese and other scientists at the University of Illinois were studying how prokaryotes are alike. During their research, they discovered two very different groups of prokaryotes. The main difference is in the structure of the genes and proteins in the two types of prokaryotes. |
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| Some bacteria like this one are classified in the group of Archaea | ||||||||||
| The ability for this group of microorganisms to live in extreme environments have earned them the name, extremophiles. Extremophiles are tiny microorganisms that can live in environments that would kill most other organisms. These amazing microorganisms don't just survive in these punishing environments, but they grow, reproduce, and do better in extreme environments than in any other place. | Extremophiles have adapted to survival in extreme thermal, acidic, saline, sulfuric, and barometric environments. Scientists are discovering that the unusual make up of these microbes are helping to make advances in medicine and industry. | |||||||||
| Extremophiles show characteristics that are partly like bacteria and partly like eukaryota. This has led scientists to begin to think that a sixth kingdom should be added to the taxonomy of life. This new kingdom is being called archaea. |  |
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| In this picture scienstist are studing geysers at the West Thumb Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park. | ||||||||||
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Extreme Team