💪Everyone behaves differently under pressure, but this archaeon takes it to the next level! Haloferax volcanii, an archaeon from the Dead Sea, can switch to a tissue-like multicellular form when exposed to mechanical pressure. Read more about this fascinating twist doi.org/10.1126/scie...

🧬Nature loves exceptions—and the genetic code is no different. 👀Researchers have found that certain archaea reassign TAG from a stop signal to encode the amino acid pyrrolysine instead, creating a distinct genetic code that evolved independently several times. Take a look! doi.org/10.1126/scie...

🚨News on life at the extreme! Meet Incendiamoeba cascadensis, “the fire amoeba”. A single-cell amoeba that can survive at +60 °C! The study has not yet been peer reviewed, but in the meantime, it questions the limits of eukaryotic life known until now. ✨ Read more here👉 doi.org/10.1038/d415...

Smells like extremophiles! 🦠👃 Microorganisms produce a wide range of molecules with different purposes, from pure waste to defence mechanisms, or even as communication tools.

👀What does 50 years of astrobiology look like? 50 years of publications from three leading journals have been analyzed to map how research topics and communities in astrobiology have evolved. As we start a new year, it’s a great reminder of how science grows and adapts. 👉 doi.org/10.1017/S147...

Up for a swim? ⚠️Not possible at Poás Lake, except for extremophiles!

☀️In high-altitude wetlands, microbes face harsh solar radiation every day. This study reveals how they pause photosynthesis under peak light, then bounce back strong later in the day—along with major shifts in community structure. Curious about the details? 📄 doi.org/10.3390/micr...

Today we spotlight Syngens!✨Our partner and reference in synthetic biology. 🧬Syngens’s AI-driven predictive DNA design helps us explore extreme aquatic environments more effectively and sustainably. 👉 syngens.ai

Happy Holidays from the XTREAM team! Thank you for joining us during our first year exploring life at the extremes. To not miss anything so far, have a look at our new blog entry 👉 xtream-project.eu/news/celebra... Stay tuned for what 2026 is bringing! 🙌 #Extreme #HappyHolidays #NewYear

🔵This week, we introduce the European Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership. 70+ partners, 30+ countries, and the European Commission, together to align and boost a sustainable #BlueEconomy across the EU sea basin. 👉 bluepartnership.eu

🎬Have a look at exclusive behind-the-scenes content 🎟️Mark your calendars with our upcoming events 🗞️Discover our latest news and findings Where? On our shared newsletter! Our first issue is already out. Don’t miss the adventures of the XTREAM team and sister projects! 📬http://eepurl.com/jpH-_M

🌊Researchers are exploring extremophile communities and their adaptations in hyperalkaline oceanic muds at the Mariana forearc. Read the full story 👉 communities.springernature.com/posts/serpen...

👏🤩Rumours are true, XTREAM is on Instagram! Special content of our journey and extremophiles like you have never seen before 🦠✨. 📲Check our profile and join the adventure! www.instagram.com/reel/DRuUuXG...

Would you ever have imagined seeing microorganisms exhibited in art galleries? 👀

Milk can be extreme too – but not just any milk! ⛰️Dairy products from high-altitude regions are particularly interesting, not only for their nutrients, but for potential extremozymes! Discover the publication 👉https://doi.org/10.1007/s00792-025-01407-0

🌍The African continent presents some of the most breathtaking and unique ecosystems in the world, like the sand desert of the Sahara. But also the remains of ancient inland seas 👀.

🌍⌛Extremophiles of time: microbes that don’t just survive harsh conditions — they thrive on time itself.

🧊🦠 Immunity tricks from Antarctica? A study explored a polysaccharide produced by the cold-loving bacteria called Pseudoalteromonas sp., suggesting that this natural compound can enhance macrophage activity, a type of cell involved in the immune response. Read the full study: doi.org/10.1007/s007...

🌍New EU projects join the efforts for transition towards a #BlueEconomy! An example of EU initiative and commitment to fostering a sustainable blue future and promoting ocean health. ✨✨ cinea.ec.europa.eu/news-events/... #MedHubsProject #ATLAHUBProject #OceanGardensProject #SeaGrowProject

🤝Meet Teesside University, our next partner in the XTREAM family!

😱 Extremophiles... in your microwave? A study found microbes thriving inside domestic microwaves, suggesting that they have been “evolutionarily selected” to survive repeated bursts of radiation. Is this post a signal to clean your microwave? 👉 Read the full story: www.nature.com/articles/d41...

🌊🦠 Tackling microplastics with extremophiles! ⚠️Microplastics can accumulate in lakes and saltwater seas, attracting pollutants and persisting for decades. But extremophiles are once again demonstrating their potential to tackle the plastic age we live in.

🦠🐟 Uncovering a promising solution to combat a common aquaculture disease. Have you seen the new publication by MARBLES project yet? 👏They have identified an exciting molecule from deep-sea sponge microbes with promising antimicrobial properties.

🦠 Keep your distance from boron! This element is present in small amounts in some organisms but becomes toxic at higher concentrations. At least at the levels Bacillus boroniphilus needs to survive, which can be dozens of times higher than what a human could tolerate. 🤔 But how does it manage?

🌱🦠 Extremophiles for a better digestion? Not for humans (for now), but for carnivorous plants!

⚡Fight poison with poison This is how this extremophile worm thrives in the hottest hydrothermal vents of the western Pacific, where toxic arsenic and hydrogen sulphide abound. It transforms these toxic elements into harmless minerals. Full news here👉 www.science.org/content/arti...

✨Our newsletter is live!✨ Have you seen our first issue yet? Discover this shared space and get the latest updates on our work.📬Don’t forget to subscribe and stay tuned for more new content to come! 👉 eepurl.com/jpH-_M

😯Deception Island, don’t let its name fool you! This little island in the South Shetland archipelago is an important research site in the Antarctic continent, especially for its micro-biodiversity. An extreme environment full of surprises. 👀

👏Our collaborator Erik Borchert from @geomarkiel.bsky.social has recently published a new article on salt-tolerant bacterial enzymes from the marine Halopseudomonas lineage, leading further research on sustainable plastics recycling. ♻️ 👉Read the full story doi.org/10.1002/pro.70305

🧬 Extremophiles against antimicrobial resistance? This study from the University of Pennsylvania identified extremophiles like Methanocaldococcus and Thermococcus as prolific producers of antimicrobial peptides. Are we looking at the future of antibiotics? 👉 doi.org/10.1038/s415...

🌊✨ Something big is coming! We join forces with EXPLORA, XTREMOLIFE and NEXTMARINE to launch our first newsletter packed with discoveries, news and behind-the-scenes insights. 📬 First issue coming soon, subscribe today! 👉 eepurl.com/jpH-_M

📣Check our last blog entry to discover our team’s expedition to Río Tinto (Huelva, Spain). An opportunity to explore this extreme ecosystem, and to exchange ideas with colleagues and researchers at the XIX Meeting of the Spanish Network of Extremophiles (REDEX). xtream-project.eu/latests-news/

🌍 Meet @erinninnovation.bsky.social, our XTREAM partner from Ireland. Their mission: turn research into real impact for a sustainable future. From EU funding support to communication & knowledge transfer, they ensure discoveries go beyond the lab to society, policy & industry. 👉 erinn.eu

🧬 Poetry stored in an extremophile Scientists and a poet encoded verses inside Deinococcus radiodurans —the bacterium known as “Conan the Bacterium,” able to withstand radiation and drought. 👉 Read how microorganisms could become ‘living’ archives: phys.org/news/2025-08...

🤔When thinking about an anti-aging skincare routine, the concept “extreme” probably doesn’t come to mind. Yet, some of the world’s most innovative skincare ingredients actually come from the most extreme environments on Earth.

🌍🦠 Back in the field! We’re in Río Tinto, Huelva. As part of the #XTREAM mission, we collected samples yesterday that will be analyzed in our labs. 📸 Here’s a picture of our coordinator, Antonio, in action! @cbm-csic-uam.bsky.social @geomarkiel.bsky.social @csic.es @erinninnovation.bsky.social

Yesterday, our coordinator, Antonio García-Moyano, represented #XTREAM at the XIX Meeting of the Spanish Network of Extremophile Microorganisms (REDEX), in Huelva, Spain. It's been a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow researchers and share our passion for life in extreme environments. 🌍✨

Boiling acid? For us, a cruel death. For Cyanidiophyceae red algae, home. They’re the only eukaryotes thriving in hot springs at pH 0–5 & up to 63°C. This review uncovers their: 🧬 Gene swaps with other extremophiles 🌱 Biotech potential 🔬 Role as genetic models Read here 👉 doi.org/10.1016/j.se...

Off Los Angeles, decades of toxic barrels have turned the seabed into an extreme human-made environment, mirroring natural hydrothermal vents.🔬 Some extremophiles endure there — but their very survival is a warning: life adapts, yet always at a cost. 👉 Read the full story: phys.org/news/2025-09...

🛰️ Scientists tested the black fungus Rhinocladiella similis under Mars-like conditions — UV-C radiation and perchlorate salts. The twist: it didn’t just survive, it outperformed a known eukaryotic Mars model organism. 👉 See for yourself: doi.org/10.1038/s415...

🌵 Imagine living in a place where it rains only once every 15 years. Hard to believe. Yet this is the reality of the Atacama Desert —the driest non-polar desert on Earth, located in northern Chile between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

📢 Haven't read our latest blog yet? Spice up your next coffee break by sharing our latest post! Or simply immerse yourself for 5 minutes in the fascinating world of extreme environments. 🌍✨ What better way to start the week than with a quick knowledge boost? 👉

📖 New blog alert! In our last post, we introduced the protagonists of our project – now it’s time to explore their stage: ✨extreme environments✨ Discover how life and ecological balance are sustained in these harsh and colourful ecosystems 🌈 👉 Read it here: xtream-project.eu/latests-news/

📍Last week, our colleague Ivan Patrick presented a poster at the #12thWorldSpongeConference, in Vila do Conde, Portugal.

Check out our first collaborative activity with our sister project EXPLORA 🌍🔬 🤝Last Wednesday, Jorge Díaz-Rullo Aroco from #XTREAM had the pleasure of joining #EXPLORA at IE University in Segovia, invited by @IreneSánchezAndrea, as part of their Environmental Sciences seminar series.

🔥❄️ What makes different hot-loving extremophiles and cold-loving ones? This is what a comparative study in Nature investigates. The results are as surprising as their environments:

In hypersaline environments, such as the Dead Sea, life faces a major problem: proteins stop working. Here's why 👇

Today in the #XTREAMteam series, meet @scienseed.com! A Madrid-based agency with a multidisciplinary team of communicators & designers with scientific backgrounds. With 10+ years’ experience, they turn complex research into stories that inspire worldwide 🌍💫🧪👉 scienseed.com

📅September 29👇 🗣️Our collaborator Aurelio Hidalgo will join the round table “The Future of Molecular Biology in Europe” during the 50th anniversary of @cbm-csic-uam.bsky.social. 🧑‍🔬He will share his expertise in #Biotechnology and #AppliedMicrobiology alongside other scientists.

🌊 Today in #BlueEU, we spotlight the @ufmsecretariat.bsky.social , uniting 43 countries for sustainable growth. One of their focuses is building a circular blue economy in the Mediterranean. Find out how they do👉