obligate psychrophile
Quick Summary
An obligate psychrophile is a microorganism that thrives in cold environments. These organisms have an optimal growth temperature of around 15°C (59°F) or lower, and they cannot survive if exposed to temperatures above 20°C (68°F). Many obligate psychrophiles are found in frigid locations like Arctic and Antarctic ocean waters and sediments.1
These cold-loving microbes are a type of extremophile, meaning they are adapted to extreme environmental conditions. While most extremophiles are prokaryotic (bacteria and archaea), a few eukaryotic examples exist. Psychrophiles are crucial for understanding the limits of life on Earth and may offer insights into the potential for life in cold, extraterrestrial environments within our solar system.2
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
