Observing the hot

The ever-interesting blog of Moselio Schachter, Small Things Considered has another post of thought-provoking microbes: hyperthermophiles. These wee beasties live at 90°C in anoxic conditions. I particularly liked the passing comment:

Growth and division of these organisms was observed at 90°C under anoxic conditions using a dark-field light microscope (which takes quite a set-up).

Um yes. I’m betting that was a Herculean effort! In particular this is interesting because there is a bias in identifying microbes that do not culture in ordinary lab conditions. These researchers are to be congratulated for going to such lengths.