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© 2011 Astronomical Society of the Pacific www.astrosociety.org Copies for educational purposes are permitted.
Additional astronomy activities can be found here: http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov
Life In the Extreme About The Activity Participants are each given one of 14 examples of extremophiles -- organisms found in some of the toughest conditions on Earth. They sort themselves into groups according to the various preferences of their organisms. Finally, they discover that all known life on Earth requires liquid water to survive and grow.
Topics Covered: • All life that we have found on Earth needs liquid
water to survive. • Life is found in a variety of extreme
environments on Earth. • Science is using these facts to explore the
possibility of life beyond Earth. Participants:
This activity works best with a group of at least 10 participants so that each person gets a card. With more participants, they can form "colonies." With fewer participants, this activity can be a simple sorting game spread out on a table. Ages 7 to adult will enjoy this activity at different levels.
Location and Timing:
This activity can be used before star parties, indoors or out, with scout troops and youth groups, in the classroom, at club meetings, and even for a general presentation. Participants will need to be mobile. It can run 5 to 15 minutes.
Materials Needed: • 14 Extremophile Cards • (Optional) Presenter's Cue sheet
Included in This Packet Page Detailed Activity Description 2 Materials and Set Up 5 Background Information 5 Master Copies 7
© 2011 Astronomical Society of the Pacific www.astrosociety.org Copies for educational purposes are permitted.
Additional astronomy activities can be found here: http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov
Detailed Activity Description
Life In the Extreme Leader’s Role Participants’
Role (Anticipated)
To Say: Who thinks there might be life elsewhere in our galaxy? –or-- What kinds of worlds do you think aliens might live on? To get some clues to these questions, scientists are studying organisms that survive in extreme environments right here on Earth to see all of the amazing ways life has adapted on our planet. This broadens the kinds of planets we are looking at where life might exist. If aliens exist, they might look very different from us and live in different environments. Let's see what kinds of organisms they are finding here on Earth. Everyone take a card. To Do: Hand out the Extremophile Cards to your visitors.
I do! Worlds like Earth?
2
© 2011 Astronomical Society of the Pacific www.astrosociety.org Copies for educational purposes are permitted.
Additional astronomy activities can be found here: http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov
Leader’s Role Participants’ Role (Anticipated)
Presentation Tip: If there are more than 14 visitors, have them form "colonies" of organisms around each card. If there are fewer than 14, you can run the activity with as few as 10 of the cards. With just 1-4 participants, have them sort all of the cards together. The first few times you use this activity, it might be useful to have the Presenter's Cue sheet to remind you of the categories. Alternative activity for small groups: If there are only a few participants, use the small environment cards also titled "Life in the Extremes" and found in the Media and Resources bag or online here: http://marsed.asu.edu/content/xtreme-o-philes Visitors can try to pair the large organism cards with the environments described on the smaller cards. Again, you can sort them by many categories, laying the small cards out one at a time. Or allow them to explore the cards on their own and make their own categories.
3
© 2011 Astronomical Society of the Pacific www.astrosociety.org Copies for educational purposes are permitted.
Additional astronomy activities can be found here: http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov
Leader’s Role Participants’
Role (Anticipated)
To Say: What are some of the organisms you all have? Great. Now look on the back. There you will find information about your organism's environment. To start with, who has an organism that likes a hot environment? If your organism likes it really hot, come over to my left side. Everyone else to my right. To Do: Sort the groups 3-5 times in this fashion. After each sorting, ask a participant to tell about their organism. Younger groups usually have shorter attention spans, but ages 10 through adult like running through this more times. Use categories such as Hot, Cold, and Acidic, or organisms that like Sunlight, Darkness, and High pressure. To Say: Which of your organisms can live without water? Come over here. Ahh! Interesting. Did you know that every single living organism we've discovered on Earth needs liquid water to survive, grow, and reproduce? That has some interesting implications for our search for aliens. When we look for possible habitable planets, we are actually looking for planets with evidence of liquid water. Did you know that there are other worlds right here in our Solar System that likely have liquid water on them? To Do: Either show the group the Watery Worlds banner or direct them to telescopes showing Jupiter's moons or Mars as examples of potentially watery worlds. The front of the Presenters Cue Card also has images of possible watery worlds in our Solar System with more information on the back.
Snottites! Penguins… No one goes to that side
4
© 2011 Astronomical Society of the Pacific www.astrosociety.org Copies for educational purposes are permitted.
Additional astronomy activities can be found here: http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov
Materials
What do I need to prepare? • If you are using the pre-printed cards, there is
nothing to prepare. • If you are printing your own cards, you will
need to fold each 1-sided piece of paper in half and glue the halves together to create 2-sided cards. See example, right.
• You may want to have the Presenter Cues nearby if you ever need help thinking of categories.
Background Information What is an Extremophile? (from Microbial Life Educational Resources) http://serc.carleton.edu/microbelife/extreme/extremophiles.html An extremophile is an organism that thrives under "extreme" conditions. The term extremophile is relatively anthropocentric. We judge habitats based on what would be considered "extreme" for human existence. Many organisms, for example, consider oxygen to be poisonous. While oxygen is a necessity for most life as we know it, some organisms flourish in anoxic environments. We call them extremophiles... but that is only one perspective. If they could think, what would they think of our environment? Types of Extremophiles (adapted from NASA's Astrobiology Institute) http://astrobiology.nasa.gov There are many different classes of extremophiles that range all around the globe, each corresponding to the way its environmental niche differs from moderate conditions. These classifications are not exclusive. Many extremophiles fall under multiple categories. Acidophile: An organism with optimal growth at pH levels of 3 or below. That's as acidic as lemon juice. They are mostly found in mines and caves. Venus has toxic clouds that may be the perfect environment for something that loves acidic environments, though we have not discovered any life there yet. Examples found in this activity: Hot Sulfur Springer, Iron Eaters, Snottites
5
© 2011 Astronomical Society of the Pacific www.astrosociety.org Copies for educational purposes are permitted.
Additional astronomy activities can be found here: http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov
Alkaliphile: An organism with optimal growth at pH levels of 9 or above; that is, the least acidic (most basic) environments. They can be found in caves, some hot springs, and waste dumps and are used in making paper and recovering spilled oil. Examples: Rushing Fireberry, Spirulina Barophiles: These microbes thrive under high pressure. Most are found on the ocean floor. Most have a waxy cell layer that protects them against crushing pressures and very cold temperatures. Examples: Pompeii Worm, Rocky Lichen, Yeti Crab, Water Bear Endoliths: This broad category of organisms makes their home inside of rocks. They can live for hundreds of years by feeding on minerals such as iron, potassium, and sulfur in their host rocks. Many scientists think that endoliths are a good candidate for the types of life most likely to be discovered living on Mars now or in the past. Example: Endolith Polyextremophile: An organism that qualifies as an extremophile under more than one category. Examples: Conan the Bacterium, Water Bear Psychrophile: An organism capable of survival, growth or reproduction at temperatures of -15 °C (5°F) or lower for extended periods. These can be found on Earth in very cold temperatures, such as frozen soils, permafrost, polar ice, cold ocean water, and in or under alpine snowpack. Scientists are trying to determine if Jupiter's icy moon Europa harbors cold-loving microbes. Examples: Penguins, Water Bear, Watermelon Snow, Wood Frogs Radioresistant: Organisms resistant to high levels of ionizing radiation, most commonly ultraviolet radiation, but also including organisms capable of resisting nuclear radiation. They have been found in nuclear reactors, using the radioactive energy to produce food. Examples: Conan the Bacterium, Water Bear Thermophile: An organism that can thrive at temperatures between 60–80 °C (140 – 176 °F) they have developed special enzymes and proteins that allow them to survive in a broad range of temperatures. Examples: Conan the Bacterium, Hot Sulfur Springer, Strain 121, Water Bear Xerophile: An organism that can grow in extremely dry, desiccating conditions; such as the soil microbes of the Atacama Desert. They can even grow in dried foods such as nuts. Examples: Rocky Lichen, Water Bear, Watermelon Snow
6
Ext
rem
e O
rgan
ism
sE
xtre
me
Env
iro
nmen
ts
Ear
th
Jup
iter’s
moo
nsS
atur
n’s
moo
ns
Mar
s
Gan
ymed
e
Eur
opa
Tita
n
Enc
elad
us
Nat
iona
l Aer
ona
utic
s an
d S
pac
e A
dm
inis
trat
ion
NASA x6
ww
w.n
asa.
go
v
Op
enin
g Q
uest
ions
• W
ho th
inks
ther
e m
ight
be
life
else
whe
re in
our
gal
axy?
• W
hat k
inds
of w
orld
s do
you
thin
k al
iens
mig
ht li
ve o
n?
To g
et s
ome
clue
s to
the
se q
uest
ions
, sci
entis
ts
are
stud
ying
org
anis
ms
that
sur
vive
in e
xtre
me
envi
ronm
ents
rig
ht h
ere
on E
arth
. Her
e ar
e so
me
exam
ple
s. (H
and
out
car
ds.
)
Cat
ego
ries
(Sor
t p
artic
ipan
ts 3
to
5 tim
es)
Who
has
an
orga
nism
tha
t lik
es:
COLD
• H
OT •
HIG
H PR
ESSU
RE •
DAR
K •
ACID
ICW
ho h
as a
n or
gani
sm t
hat
can
live
with
out W
ATER
Eve
ry s
ingl
e or
gani
sm t
hat
we’
ve d
isco
vere
d o
n E
arth
re
qui
res
wat
er t
o su
rviv
e, g
row
, and
rep
rod
uce.
That
giv
es u
s a
clue
whe
n w
e ar
e lo
okin
g fo
r lif
e on
ot
her
pla
nets
. Do
you
thin
k a
pla
net
with
liq
uid
wat
er
mig
ht b
e a
good
pla
ce t
o se
arch
for
alie
n lif
e? T
hat’s
w
here
we’
re lo
okin
g!
Eve
n in
our
ow
n S
olar
Sys
tem
, the
re a
re o
ther
wat
ery
wor
lds,
incl
udin
g so
me
of t
he m
oons
of S
atur
n (E
ncel
adus
) and
Jup
iter
(Eur
opa
and
Gan
ymed
e). A
nd
Mar
s p
rob
ably
had
wat
er o
n its
sur
face
in t
he p
ast.
S
atur
n’s
moo
n Ti
tan
doe
s no
t ha
ve w
ater
, but
it d
oes
have
lake
s of
met
hane
and
a c
loud
y at
mos
phe
re. W
e ha
ven’
t fo
und
con
clus
ive
evid
ence
of l
ife y
et, b
ut w
e ar
e lo
okin
g.
CO
NA
N T
HE
B
AC
TE
RIU
MD
eino
cocc
us r
adio
dur
ans
the
“ter
rib
le g
rain
”
Nat
iona
l Aer
ona
utic
s an
d S
pac
e A
dm
inis
trat
ion
Peggy A. O’Cain and Margaret C. Henk, Louisiana State University
Can
be
foun
dFu
n Fa
ct
Co
nan
the
Bac
teri
um E
nvir
onm
ent
all o
ver t
he w
orld
ww
w.n
asa.
go
v
Dei
noco
ccus
rad
iod
uran
sis
list
ed a
s th
e w
orld
’s
toug
hest
bac
teriu
m in
The
G
uinn
ess
Boo
k O
f Wor
ld
Rec
ord
s.
Con
an is
so
toug
h, it
can
eve
n su
rviv
e
high
leve
ls o
f rad
iatio
n.
Pre
ssur
e
Sun
light
Wat
er N
eed
Aci
dit
y
Tem
per
atur
e
kg
Not
aci
dic
Low
Low
Low
Low
Very
aci
dic
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h ✹
Ran
ge
HO
T S
ULF
UR
S
PR
ING
ER
Sul
folo
bus
sol
fata
ricus
hot
and
aci
dic
Nat
iona
l Aer
ona
utic
s an
d S
pac
e A
dm
inis
trat
ion
Sonja-Verena Albers
Can
be
foun
dFu
n Fa
ct
Ho
t S
ulfu
r S
pri
nger
Env
iro
nmen
t
ww
w.n
asa.
go
v
Thes
e tin
y or
gani
sms
can
also
be
foun
d in
som
e ho
t sp
ring
spas
in J
apan
. Th
ey’r
e no
t d
ange
rous
to
hum
ans.
Thes
e to
ugh
orga
nism
s ea
t su
lphu
r an
d a
re fo
und
in
volc
anoe
s an
d m
udp
ots.
Pre
ssur
e
Sun
light
Wat
er N
eed
Aci
dit
y
Tem
per
atur
e
kg
Not
aci
dic
Low
Low
Low
Low
Very
aci
dic
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h ✹
IRO
N E
ATE
RS
Ferr
opla
sma
acid
iphi
lum
acid
ic m
iner
Nat
iona
l Aer
ona
utic
s an
d S
pac
e A
dm
inis
trat
ion
Indumathy Jayamani
Can
be
foun
dFu
n Fa
ct
Iro
n E
ater
s E
nvir
onm
ent
ww
w.n
asa.
go
v
Ear
ly c
ond
ition
s on
Ear
th
wou
ld h
ave
bee
n p
erfe
ct
for
thes
e ac
id-l
ovin
g or
gani
sms.
This
org
anis
m “
eats
” iro
n an
d le
aves
beh
ind
rus
t.
Pre
ssur
e
Sun
light
Wat
er N
eed
Aci
dit
y
Tem
per
atur
e
kg
Not
aci
dic
Low
Low
Low
Low
Very
aci
dic
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h ✹
PENGUINS
Sp
heni
scid
ae
swim
min
g b
irds
Nat
iona
l Aer
ona
utic
s an
d S
pac
e A
dm
inis
trat
ion
Stan Shebs
Can
be
foun
dFu
n Fa
ct
Pen
gui
ns E
nvir
onm
ent
ww
w.n
asa.
go
v
To g
et a
roun
d in
the
ir en
viro
nmen
ts, p
engu
ins
swim
and
sur
f the
wav
es
and
use
the
ir b
ellie
s as
to
bog
gans
on
land
.
Man
y p
engu
ins
live
in la
rge
grou
ps
to k
eep
war
m.
Pre
ssur
e
Sun
light
Wat
er N
eed
Aci
dit
y
Tem
per
atur
e
kg
Not
aci
dic
Low
Low
Low
Low
Very
aci
dic
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h ✹
PO
MP
EII
WO
RM
Alv
inel
la p
omp
ejan
a
hot
tail,
co
ld h
ead
Nat
iona
l Aer
ona
utic
s an
d S
pac
e A
dm
inis
trat
ion
University of Delaware
Can
be
foun
dFu
n Fa
ct
Po
mp
eii W
orm
Env
iro
nmen
t
ww
w.n
asa.
go
v
Wha
t lo
oks
like
hair
on t
he
wor
m’s
bac
k is
act
ually
co
loni
es o
f bac
teria
, in
sula
ting
the
wor
m fr
om t
he
very
hot
tem
per
atur
es.
Thes
e w
orm
s ca
n b
ecom
e ab
out
13cm
(5in
) lon
g an
d
live
on b
lack
sm
oker
s at
the
bot
tom
of t
he o
cean
.
Pre
ssur
e
Sun
light
Wat
er N
eed
Aci
dit
y
Tem
per
atur
e
kg
Not
aci
dic
Low
Low
Low
Low
Very
aci
dic
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h ✹
Ran
ge
RO
CK
Y L
ICH
EN
End
oliths
hid
den
in t
he r
ock
Nat
iona
l Aer
ona
utic
s an
d S
pac
e A
dm
inis
trat
ion
NASA
Can
be
foun
dFu
n Fa
ct
Ro
cky
Lich
en E
nvir
onm
ent
ww
w.n
asa.
go
v
Roc
k-d
ewlli
ng o
rgan
ism
s ha
ve b
een
foun
d a
s d
eep
as
we
are
able
to d
rill i
nto
the
Ear
th. E
ven
7 km
(4 m
iles)
un
der
the
ocea
n flo
or, t
hese
to
ugh
orga
nism
s ar
e th
rivin
g!
Thes
e to
ugh
orga
nism
s ca
n fr
eeze
and
the
n re
vive
w
hen
tem
per
atur
es in
crea
se.
Pre
ssur
e
Sun
light
Wat
er N
eed
Aci
dit
y
Tem
per
atur
e
kg
Not
aci
dic
Low
Low
Low
Low
Very
aci
dic
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h ✹
RU
SH
ING
FI
RE
BE
RR
YP
yroc
occu
s fu
riosu
s
hot
mul
tiplie
r
Nat
iona
l Aer
ona
utic
s an
d S
pac
e A
dm
inis
trat
ion
ArchiMeDes
Can
be
foun
dFu
n Fa
ct
Rus
hing
Fir
eber
ry E
nvir
onm
ent
ww
w.n
asa.
go
v
This
tin
y or
gani
sm g
ets
the
rush
ing
par
t of
its
nam
e fr
om t
he fa
ct t
hat
it is
ab
le
to d
oub
le t
he n
umb
er o
f or
gani
sms
in le
ss t
han
37
min
utes
.
The
hott
er t
he b
ette
r fo
r th
is o
rgan
ism
. It
can
surv
ive
in s
team
ing
volc
ano
poo
ls.
Pre
ssur
e
Sun
light
Wat
er N
eed
Aci
dit
y
Tem
per
atur
e
kg
Not
aci
dic
Low
Low
Low
Low
Very
aci
dic
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h ✹
Ran
ge
SNOTTITES
Sin
gle-
celle
d b
acte
ria
slim
y ca
ve d
rip
s
Nat
iona
l Aer
ona
utic
s an
d S
pac
e A
dm
inis
trat
ion
Can
be
foun
dFu
n Fa
ct
Sno
ttit
es E
nvir
onm
ent
ww
w.n
asa.
go
v
Thes
e b
acte
ria a
re s
o ac
idic
, tha
t on
e d
rop
ha
s b
een
know
n to
eat
th
roug
h cl
othe
s an
d c
ause
th
ird-d
egre
e b
urns
on
rese
arch
ers.
Sno
ttite
s ge
t th
eir
ener
gy fr
om s
ulfu
r
in t
he w
ater
, not
from
sun
light
.
Pre
ssur
e
Sun
light
Wat
er N
eed
Aci
dit
y
Tem
per
atur
e
kg
Not
aci
dic
Low
Low
Low
Low
Very
aci
dic
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h ✹
SPIRULINA
Art
hros
pira
max
ima
blu
e g
reen
alg
ae
Nat
iona
l Aer
ona
utic
s an
d S
pac
e A
dm
inis
trat
ion
Globe Pequot Press
Can
be
foun
dFu
n Fa
ct
Sp
irul
ina
Env
iro
nmen
t
ww
w.n
asa.
go
v
The
Azt
ecs
used
Sp
irlun
ia
as a
food
sou
rce
until
the
16
th c
entu
ry.
This
org
anis
m is
nic
knam
ed S
piru
lina
af
ter
its s
pira
l sha
pe.
Pre
ssur
e
Sun
light
Wat
er N
eed
Aci
dit
y
Tem
per
atur
e
kg
Not
aci
dic
Low
Low
Low
Low
Very
aci
dic
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h ✹
ST
RA
IN 1
21G
eoge
mm
a b
aros
sii
hott
er t
han
hot
Nat
iona
l Aer
ona
utic
s an
d S
pac
e A
dm
inis
trat
ion
Can
be
foun
dFu
n Fa
ct
Str
ain
121
Env
iro
nmen
t
ww
w.n
asa.
go
v
Prio
r to
the
200
3 d
isco
very
of
Str
ain
121,
a fi
ftee
n-m
inut
e ex
pos
ure
to t
hese
te
mp
erat
ures
was
bel
ieve
d
to k
ill a
ll liv
ing
orga
nism
s.
Str
ain
121
eats
iron
from
the
hyd
roth
erm
al
vent
s at
the
bot
tom
of t
he o
cean
.
Pre
ssur
e
Sun
light
Wat
er N
eed
Aci
dit
y
Tem
per
atur
e
kg
Not
aci
dic
Low
Low
Low
Low
Very
aci
dic
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h ✹
WAT
ER
BE
AR
Tardigrade
the
surv
ivo
r
Nat
iona
l Aer
ona
utic
s an
d S
pac
e A
dm
inis
trat
ion
Can
be
foun
dFu
n Fa
ct
All
Ab
out
Wat
er B
ears
all o
ver t
he w
orld
ww
w.n
asa.
go
v
The
Wat
er B
ear
can
actu
ally
hi
ber
nate
with
out
wat
er
for
at le
ast
10 y
ears
. Onc
e it
gets
a d
rop
of w
ater
it
wak
es u
p, g
ood
as
new
.
Thes
e to
ugh
orga
nism
s ha
ve b
een
exp
osed
to
the
vacu
um o
f sp
ace
for
10 d
ays
and
stil
l sur
vive
d!
Pre
ssur
e
Sun
light
Wat
er N
eed
pH
(aci
dity
)
Tem
per
atur
e
kg
Very
aci
dic
Low
Low
Low
Low
Not
aci
dic
HIg
h
HIg
h
HIg
h
HIg
h ✹
Wid
e R
ang
e
Wid
e R
ang
e
Wid
e R
ang
e
WAT
ER
ME
LON
S
NO
WC
hlam
ydom
onas
niv
alis
sno
w a
lgae
Nat
iona
l Aer
ona
utic
s an
d S
pac
e A
dm
inis
trat
ion
Will Beback
Can
be
foun
dFu
n Fa
ct
Wat
erm
elo
n S
now
Env
iro
nmen
t
all o
ver t
he w
orld
ww
w.n
asa.
go
v
This
alg
ae a
ctua
lly s
mel
ls
like
fres
h w
ater
mel
on! F
or
man
y ye
ars
hike
rs t
houg
ht
it w
as a
min
eral
cau
sing
the
re
dd
ish
colo
r.
Sun
light
hel
ps
the
alga
e tu
rn t
he s
now
in
to w
ater
tha
t it
can
use
to g
row
.
Pre
ssur
e
Sun
light
Wat
er N
eed
Aci
dit
y
Tem
per
atur
e
kg
Not
aci
dic
Low
Low
Low
Low
Very
aci
dic
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h ✹
WO
OD
FR
OG
SR
ana
sylv
atic
a
free
zing
fro
gs
Nat
iona
l Aer
ona
utic
s an
d S
pac
e A
dm
inis
trat
ion
Can
be
foun
dFu
n Fa
ct
Wo
od
Fro
gs
Env
iro
nmen
t
ww
w.n
asa.
go
v
Thes
e fr
ogs
surv
ive
cold
te
mp
erat
ures
by
hib
erna
ting
in a
froz
en s
tate
. Whe
n th
e w
eath
er w
arm
s, t
hey
thaw
an
d r
esum
e th
eir
lives
.
Pre
ssur
e
Sun
light
Wat
er N
eed
Aci
dit
y
Tem
per
atur
e
kg
Not
aci
dic
Low
Low
Low
Low
Very
aci
dic
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h ✹
Ran
ge
YE
TI C
RA
BK
iwa
hirs
ute
furr
y lo
bst
er
Nat
iona
l Aer
ona
utic
s an
d S
pac
e A
dm
inis
trat
ion
Census of Marine Life
Can
be
foun
dFu
n Fa
ct
Yeti
Cra
b E
nvir
onm
ent
ww
w.n
asa.
go
v
The
Yeti
Cra
b li
ves
on t
he
dee
p, d
ark
ocea
n flo
or
whe
re s
unlig
ht n
ever
re
ache
s an
d is
com
ple
tely
b
lind
.
Bac
teria
coa
t th
e ha
irs o
f the
cra
b a
nd e
at
man
y of
the
tox
ic m
iner
als
in t
he e
nviro
nmen
t.
Pre
ssur
e
Sun
light
Wat
er N
eed
Aci
dit
y
Tem
per
atur
e
kg
Not
aci
dic
Low
Low
Low
Low
Very
aci
dic
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h
Hig
h ✹
