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🌋 RÍO TINTO: AN EXTREME ECOSYSTEM IN SPAIN

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🌋 RÍO TINTO: AN EXTREME ECOSYSTEM IN SPAIN

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📍 Location

Found in Huelva, Spain.

It stretches about 100 km from the Sierra de Huelva to the Atlantic Ocean.

🔴 Extreme Characteristics

Intense red water due to high concentrations of iron and sulfates.

Extremely acidic pH (~2, similar to lemon juice or vinegar).

Low oxygen and high toxicity, making it hostile to most life forms.

🦠 Unexpected Life in a Harsh Environment

Despite its extreme conditions, some microorganisms have adapted:

Extremophile bacteria that obtain energy from iron and sulfur, without needing oxygen or sunlight.

These organisms are of great interest for astrobiology, as they could suggest how life might exist on Mars.

Alejandro de la Cruz García

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The leafcutter ants have developed a fascinating mutualistic relationship with a fungus from the Leucoagaricus genus. Instead of eating the leaves they collect, these ants use them to cultivate the fungus inside their nests.

Where can be found:

They are mainly found in tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, ranging from the southern United States to northern Argentina. They adapt to various ecosystems, such as rainforests, dry forests, grasslands, and agricultural areas, as long as there is enough vegetation for their fungal cultivation.

Mutual benefits:

For the ants: They receive a highly nutritious and easily digestible food source.

For the fungus: It benefits from a stable environment and a constant supply of organic matter.

This sophisticated farming system has allowed leafcutter ants to thrive in tropical forests, making them one of the most important herbivores in these ecosystems. Their mutualistic partnership with the fungus is considered one of the most advanced symbiotic relationships in nature.

Inés Rebollo

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🦘NATURE’S LITTLE GENIUS: THE QUOKKA'S SURVIVAL SECRETS 

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🦘NATURE’S LITTLE GENIUS: THE QUOKKA'S SURVIVAL SECRETS 

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🦘 The quokka is a small marsupial native to Western Australia. Their habitats can be extremely hot, dry, and full of dense vegetation — all challenging abiotic factors.

🔄 Behavioral adaptation to heat

Quokkas are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night and rest during the day.

This helps them avoid the hottest hours, reducing water loss and heat stress.

They rest in cool, shadowy areas under different trees during the day.

💧 Efficient water use

They get most of their water from moist plants like leaves and grasses.

Their diet includes vegetation with high moisture content.

Quokkas can survive long periods without drinking free-standing water.

🌿 Adaptation to vegetation density

They live in dense undergrowth that provides shade and protection from predators.

They create tunnels through vegetation to move around safely.

Dense vegetation helps them stay cool and conserve water.

👃 Moisture conservation

Their nasal passages minimize water loss during breathing.

Their small body and fur help limit evaporation.

Irene Vega Velicia

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CURIOUS ADAPTATIONS OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS TO ABIOTIC FACTORS: THE INCREDIBLE SURVIVAL SYSTEM OF THE CAMEL IN THE DESERT

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CURIOUS ADAPTATIONS OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS TO ABIOTIC FACTORS: THE INCREDIBLE SURVIVAL SYSTEM OF THE CAMEL IN THE DESERT

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The camel is one of the most well-adapted animals to live in extreme environments like deserts, where temperatures can exceed 50 °C and water is scarce.

🔴 Special red blood cells

Camel red blood cells are oval-shaped and very flexible, unlike the round ones found in most mammals. This shape allows blood to keep flowing even when the camel is dehydrated. They also withstand drastic changes when the camel drinks large amounts of water at once after a long dry period.

💧 High dehydration tolerance

A camel can lose up to 25% of its body weight in water without dying — something that would be fatal for most animals. This makes it capable of surviving for days without drinking, even under intense desert heat.

🚽 Extreme water conservation

To save water:

It produces highly concentrated urine.

Its feces are very dry.

Its nostrils can partially close to prevent moisture loss during breathing.

🌬️ Protection against the environment

It has long, thick eyelashes to shield its eyes from wind and sand.

Small, hairy ears prevent dust from entering.

The structure of its feet helps it walk on hot sand without sinking or getting burned.

Nieves Venero Anguita

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ADAPTATION OF ANIMALS TO ABIOTIC FACTORS: STORK

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ADAPTATION OF ANIMALS TO ABIOTIC FACTORS: STORK

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Stork adapt in different ways:

1. TEMPERATURE

Migration: they can migrate between breeding and wintering grounds to avoid extreme temperatures.

Thermoregulation: Storks use behaviors like panting, spreading their wings, and urinating on their legs to cool down in hot climates.

2. WATER AVAILABILITY

Storks mostly live near rivers or lakes. Their legs allow them to wade through water to hunt fish, frogs, and insects.

In dry areas, they may fly long distances to find water sources.

3. SUNLIGHT

They use sunlight to regulate body temperature. They can look for the sun to warm up or for shade during periods of intense heat.

Sunlight also influences their migration patterns and breeding behavior, often timed with longer days in spring.

4. WIND

Storks use warm air to soar with minimal energy during long migrations. This helps them conserve energy over thousands of kilometers.

Lucía Fernández Rodríguez

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🏜️ ATACAMA DESERT: AN EXTREME ECOSYSTEM IN CHILE

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🏜️ ATACAMA DESERT: AN EXTREME ECOSYSTEM IN CHILE

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📍Location

Found in Atacama, Chile.

It occupies an area of about 105,000 square km.

🔴 Extreme characteristics

Extreme drought: In some areas, no rain has been recorded in hundreds of years.

Extreme temperature: There is a lot of temperature fluctuation, and in a few hours the temperature can vary up to 35ºC.

Lack of liquid water: It is usually in the form of atmospheric moisture or underground, so living things lack this resource.

High winds: This makes the environment drier, as well as helping the soil to erode.

🐛 Unexpected life in a harsh environment:

Despite these extreme conditions, some organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and certain types of insects have found ways to survive.

Humans have also managed to adapt their lives to this environment, living in nearby cities and taking advantage of resources such as mining and solar energy.

Malena Álvarez Muñoz

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The coral that lives in cold waters: Lophelia pertusa

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The coral that lives in cold waters: Lophelia pertusa

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When we think of coral reefs, we usually imagine tropical, warm waters… but did you know that coral reefs also exist in cold, deep oceans? In Norway, for example, there are deep-sea corals like Lophelia pertusa, found at depths of over 200 meters.

These corals don’t need sunlight because they don’t rely on algae to survive. Instead, they feed by capturing tiny particles from the water.

It shows how diverse marine ecosystems can be, even in extreme conditions. These cold-water corals are also threatened by deep-sea fishing and climate change, making them important to protect.

Cold-water coral reefs can be thousands of years old!

Lophelia pertusa grows very slowly—only a few millimeters each year. But over time, it can build huge reef structures that are over 8,000 years old.

Palmira Cámara Samperio

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“Danakil Depression: Clues to Life Beyond Earth”

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“Danakil Depression: Clues to Life Beyond Earth”

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Found in Ethiopia

• Located in the Afar region, near the border with Eritrea.

• Sits about 125 meters below sea level.

• Considered one of the most extreme and inhospitable places on Earth.

• Formed by tectonic activity where three tectonic plates meet.

Extreme Characteristics

• Temperatures can reach up to 50°C during the day.

• Presence of acidic hot springs with vivid colors caused by minerals like sulfur and iron.

• Water has very high salinity, high acidity (pH close to 0),

and is full of toxic chemicals.

• Continuous volcanic and hydrothermal activity.

• Almost no rainfall and intense evaporation.

Unexpected Life in a Harsh Environment

• Despite the extreme heat, salinity, and acidity, life has been found.

• Certain extremophile microorganisms (like archaea and bacteria) have adapted to survive in these extreme conditions.

• These microbes don’t rely on oxygen or sunlight – they use chemosynthesis, extracting energy from chemicals in the environment.

• Their survival mechanisms provide valuable clues for scientists studying astrobiology.

• The Danakil environment is considered an Earth analog for Mars and other planets where life might exist in extreme conditions.

Miguel Chávez Cruz

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THE MARIANA TRENCH: THE DEEPEST PLACE IN THE OCEAN

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THE MARIANA TRENCH: THE DEEPEST PLACE IN THE OCEAN

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📍Location:

It is found in Western Pacific Ocean, about 200 km east of the Mariana Islands.

❌Extreme characteristics:

1. Deeper than Mount Everest is tall

The Mariana Trench reaches about 11,000 meters deep.

If you placed Mount Everest inside, there would still be nearly 2 km of water above it.

2. Crushing pressure

Pressure at the bottom is more than 1,000 times greater than at sea level.

That’s like bearing the weight of 50 jumbo jets pressing down on you.

3. Life without light and in extreme cold

Even without sunlight, scientists have discovered creatures like:

Transparent fish

“Ghost” octopuses

Microbes that survive not on photosynthesis but on chemosynthesis.

4. Microplastics in the abyss

In one of the most unreachable parts of Earth, pollution has already arrived.

Microplastics and debris have been found over 10,000 meters deep

5. Near-freezing temperatures

Despite being close to Earth's core, temperatures at the bottom can drop to 1–4 °C, because of the lack of sunlight and cold ocean currents.

Lola Calero López

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🔥"Timanfaya: A Journey Through Fire and Lava"

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🔥"Timanfaya: A Journey Through Fire and Lava"

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📍 Location

Timanfaya National Park is in the southwest of Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands (Spain).

It is part of the municipalities of Yaiza and Tinajo.

🌋 Short Description

Timanfaya is a volcanic landscape. The land was created by big volcanic eruptions between 1730 and 1736, and again in 1824. There are almost no plants in the area, so it looks like the Moon or Mars.

🧪 Unique and Interesting Facts

1. Hot ground:
Just a few centimeters under the surface, the ground can be 100–120°C, and at 10 meters deep, it can be over 600°C.

2. Steam geysers:
Park workers pour water into holes, and it quickly comes back out as hot steam, like a geyser.

3. Protected landscape:
People cannot walk freely in the park to protect the land. The volcanic surface is exactly how it was after the eruptions.

4. Strange colors:
The ground has amazing colors like red, black, grey, and orange. These come from different types of lava and ash.

Valeria Campillejo González

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In the deep ocean, some ecosystems thrive without any sunlight at all, thanks to chemosynthesis instead of photosynthesis.

As there are hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor, bacteria use chemicals like hydrogen sulfide to produce energy. These bacteria form the base of a unique food chain, supporting giant tube worms, blind shrimp, and other bizarre creatures, all in total darkness, under crushing pressure, and with scalding temperatures.

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The Fascinating Flexibility of Biotic Relationships

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The Fascinating Flexibility of Biotic Relationships

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Nature is full of complex interactions, and one of the most interesting things about biotic relationships is that they’re not always set in stone. Depending on the environment, the same two species can shift from being allies to something very different.

Take the clownfish and sea anemone, for example. Normally, they have a mutualistic relationship—both benefit. The clownfish gets a safe home among the anemone’s stinging tentacles (which it is immune to), while the anemone enjoys a cleaning service and protection from predators, thanks to the fish. But what happens if the anemone dies? The clownfish doesn’t just give up; it adapts. It might find shelter in reef crevices or even nestle among sea urchins, shifting its relationship to commensalism, where it benefits without helping or harming its new host.

Another great example is the relationship between ants and aphids. Typically, ants act as tiny bodyguards, protecting aphids from predators in exchange for a sweet honeydew snack. It’s a classic case of mutualism—until food gets scarce. When times are tough, those same protective ants might turn on their aphid “friends” and start eating them instead, flipping the relationship into predation.

These shifting dynamics show just how adaptable and unpredictable nature can be. Relationships between species aren’t fixed—they evolve based on circumstances, proving that survival is all about flexibility.

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🌋🧬 Life at boiling temperatures: Thermophiles in hydrothermal vents

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🌋🧬 Life at boiling temperatures: Thermophiles in hydrothermal vents

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Deep in the ocean are hydrothermal vents that release water at temperatures above 400 °C. These places are completely dark and full of toxic chemicals, but there is some life.

Special bacteria called thermophiles live near the vents. They don't need sunlight. Instead, they use chemosynthesis, a process in which they get energy from chemicals such as hydrogen sulphide.

These bacteria are the basis of a complete food chain that supports tubeworms, shrimp and other deep-sea animals, all of which are adapted to this extreme environment.

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 🐍 DESERT RATTLESNAKE: Curious adaptations of animals and plants to abiotic factors 🌡️🌡️🌡️🌡️   

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 🐍 DESERT RATTLESNAKE: Curious adaptations of animals and plants to abiotic factors 🌡️🌡️🌡️🌡️   

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🐍 DESERT RATTLESNAKE

Scientific name: Crotalus spp.
Habitat: Hot deserts of North America (U.S. and Mexico)

🔶 🌡️ Abiotic Factor: Extreme Desert Temperatures

Rattlesnakes live in harsh desert environments. Daytime temperatures can exceed 113°F (45°C), while at night, they can drop below 50°F (10°C). Intense sunlight, low humidity, and limited water sources make survival a real challenge in these regions.

🔶 🧠 Physiological and Behavioral Adaptations

✅ Ectothermic (Cold-Blooded)
As ectotherms, rattlesnakes rely on the environment to regulate body temperature.
➡️ They move between sun and shade to keep their internal temperature stable.
➡️ During the hottest part of the day, they hide under rocks, logs, or in burrows.

✅ Nocturnal Behavior
Rattlesnakes are mainly nocturnal or crepuscular, meaning they are active during the night or at dusk. This helps them avoid dehydration and overheating during the day.

✅ Estivation (Dormancy in Heat)
During extremely hot seasons, some rattlesnakes enter a state of estivation, which is similar to hibernation but triggered by heat. They remain hidden underground and reduce their metabolism to save energy and water.

✅ Specialized Scales
Their thick, rugged scales help minimize water loss, allowing them to stay hydrated in dry environments.

✅ Heat-Sensing Organs (Loreal Pits)
Located between the eyes and nostrils, these pits allow them to “see” infrared radiation—the body heat of their prey. They can hunt small mammals in complete darkness with incredible accuracy.

🔶 🎯 Fascinating Facts

The rattle at the tip of their tail is made of keratin segments. It creates a warning sound when shaken, letting predators know to stay away.

Some species can detect temperature differences as small as a fraction of a degree, making them expert nighttime hunters.

In extremely dry areas, they can go weeks without drinking water, absorbing fluids from the blood of their prey.

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Strange adaptations of plants to abiotic factors 

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Strange adaptations of plants to abiotic factors 

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Did you know that cacti 🌵, which live in the driest deserts on Earth, have developed a unique strategy to survive with almost no water?

In addition to having spines instead of leaves to reduce water loss, they use a special type of photosynthesis called CAM (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism).

This process allows them to open their stomata at night 🌙, when temperatures are lower and there’s less evaporation, to absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂).

Then, during the day ☀️, with their stomata closed, they perform photosynthesis using the CO₂ stored overnight.

This way, they conserve as much water as possible in an extremely dry environment! 💧

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THE WATER BEAR: THE ''INMORTAL ANIMAL''🐻💧

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THE WATER BEAR: THE ''INMORTAL ANIMAL''🐻💧

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🐾What is a tardigrade?

The tardigradrades or water bears are some microoscopic animals that live anywhere with humidity. Scientifics have found these little animals from the top of the Himalaya(6 km over the sea ocean) to the bottom of the ocean (4km under sea level). To sum up, water bears can live in almost every habitat of the Earth.

Why can the water bears habit in so many ecosystems❓

Well, water bears can survive in a wide range of different habitats because of its extreme adaptations:

Cryptobiosis
🔒 When conditions are extreme (no water, radiation, heat, cold), the tardigrade enters a state of "suspended animation." It reduces its metabolism to nearly zero.

Radiation Resistance
☢️ They can survive lethal doses of radiation that would kill almost any other living organism.

Extreme Freezing
❄️ They can be completely frozen and thaw without any damage.

Desiccation
💧 They can lose up to 99% of their body water and come back to life when rehydrated.

Did you know this?🔍

Some scientifics have tested if tardigrades could survive in the space and surprisingly, they can do it easily!!🚀

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🌋KAWAH IJEN: THE VOLCANO WITH BLUE FLAMES AND TOXIC BEAUTY

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🌋KAWAH IJEN: THE VOLCANO WITH BLUE FLAMES AND TOXIC BEAUTY

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Imagine a volcano burning with blue flames in the dark, surrounded by a lake so acidic it seems like it's from another planet: welcome to the fascinating world of Kawah Ijen!

📍 Where can we find it ?

It is located in East Java, Indonesia.

Part of the Ijen volcano complex, in the Pacific Ring of Fire.

💥 Intense traits

Contains the world’s largest acidic crater lake, with a pH close to 0.

Emits blue flames at night, caused by ignited sulfuric gases — known as “blue fire”.

Toxic fumes (sulfur dioxide) constantly rise from the crater.

Extremely hazardous environment: acidic gas, unstable ground, and corrosive water.

⚡ Life in extreme conditions

Despite the extreme acidity and toxicity, acid-loving microorganisms (acidophiles) have been detected.

These microbes survive in conditions similar to those found in early Earth.

Kawah Ijen is studied as a natural laboratory for understanding life in acidic and toxic planetary environments, like Venus or volcanic exoplanets.

Paola Jaro Martín

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TOXIC BUT IMPORTANT: THE POISON DART FROG AND ITS ROLE IN THE TROPICAL FOOD CHAIN

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TOXIC BUT IMPORTANT: THE POISON DART FROG AND ITS ROLE IN THE TROPICAL FOOD CHAIN

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Poison dart frogs, native to the rainforests of Central and South America, are famous for their bright colors and toxic skin. But did you know their poison comes from their diet? By eating ants and other small insects that contain alkaloid toxins, these frogs develop powerful chemical defenses.

In the food chain, they act as both predator and prey. Their toxins protect them from most predators, though a few resistant species can still eat them. This makes them a fascinating example of how diet and trophic interactions can drive adaptations like warning coloration and chemical defense.

Why it matters:
This shows how trophic chains are not just about who eats who; they also drive evolutionary changes and shape entire ecosystems.

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🌋 East Pacific Rise Hydrothermal Vents (Near the Galápagos Islands)

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🌋 East Pacific Rise Hydrothermal Vents (Near the Galápagos Islands)

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📍 Where You Can Find It:

Location: East Pacific Rise, a tectonic plate boundary in the Pacific Ocean.

Coordinates (approximate): Around 1° N, 102° W — off the coast of the Galápagos Islands, about 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) deep.

Accessibility: Not accessible to casual travelers — scientists reach it using deep-sea submersibles like Alvin or remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).

🔥 Intense Environmental Traits:

TraitDescriptionExtreme HeatWater from vents reaches up to 400°C (752°F) — but doesn’t boil due to extreme pressure.High PressureOver 250 times the atmospheric pressure at sea level — enough to crush unprotected equipment.Toxic ChemicalsRich in hydrogen sulfide, methane, and heavy metals — lethal to most surface life.No SunlightPermanent darkness — sunlight never reaches these depths.Acidity & MineralsWater is acidic and full of dissolved metals like iron, copper, and zinc.

🧬 Life in These Extreme Conditions:

🌱 Energy Source: Chemosynthesis

Microbes convert hydrogen sulfide and other chemicals into energy — no sunlight needed.

These bacteria form the base of the food chain.

🪱 Key Lifeforms:

CreatureSurvival AdaptationsTube Worms (Riftia pachyptila)Up to 2 meters long, no mouth or digestive tract. Live off symbiotic bacteria inside their bodies.Pompeii Worms (Alvinella pompejana)Among the most heat-tolerant animals, live in 80°C+ water. Covered in bacteria that may protect them.Vent Crabs & ShrimpFeed on microbial mats or filter particles from vent plumes. Have adapted to total darkness.Thermophilic Bacteria & ArchaeaSome can survive at temperatures over 120°C — extreme “hyperthermophiles.”

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📍The region of Dallol, Ethiopia

It is located in a desert, not only that, but its also where the Earth Crust is the thinnest.

💥 Dallol is completely unhabited because of ...

The only water that is found there contains a lot of elements like Potassium, Sulphur and Magnesium.

The salinity and acidity of the water

Dallol's average temperature along the whole year is 34,6 ºC (Desierto de Tabernas average is 18-19 ºC).

🥀 Anything there?

Nope, nothing, there was once a research that found microorganisms, but another research justified that probably the microorganisms were from the air or the human activity (tourists).

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Clownfish: A Friendship Under the Sea!🌊🐠 

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Clownfish: A Friendship Under the Sea!🌊🐠 

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.Who are the stars?
🌟 The clownfish and the sea anemone.

. What makes them special?
They live together in perfect harmony! 🎶 The clownfish swims among the anemone’s stinging tentacles without getting hurt. 😲🌿

.Why doesn’t the clownfish get stung?
Its skin has a special mucus layer that protects it from the poison. 🧼🛡️

.What does the clownfish get?
🏠 A safe home to hide from predators!

.And the anemone?
It gets cleaned and the clownfish brings food closer by attracting prey. 🍽️✨

What is this relationship called?
🤝 Mutualism – both organisms benefit from each other! 🐠

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The Fungus That Zombifies Insects… and Boosts Humans!

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The Fungus That Zombifies Insects… and Boosts Humans!

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Cordyceps is a parasitic fungus known for taking over insects, but in humans, it’s become a superstar supplement. Used in traditional Chinese medicine, it’s believed to boost energy, enhance physical performance, strengthen the immune system, and even increase libido. Feared in nature… but a powerful ally in sports.

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The Atacama Desert is the driest place on Earth, with some areas where it hasn't rained in over 400 years. Despite these extreme conditions, extremophilic microorganisms survive in rocks and soil, entering a state of dormancy for years until a rare rain event occurs.

Surprising adaptations: These microorganisms can withstand extreme dehydration and reactivate when water becomes available.

"Desert blooming" phenomenon: After rare rains, the desert is covered in flowers as seeds that have been dormant for years suddenly germinate.

Scientific studies: Extremophiles in Atacama help scientists understand how life might exist on Mars or other planets with extreme conditions.