Earth is a planet of environmental extremes, ranging from numbing cold to blistering heat. With only a few exceptions, humans live primarily in temperate regions, but an eclectic array of other creatures thrive in the inhospitable. These organisms are known as extremophiles. Here are a few examples.
Emperor penguin
These hardy flightless birds spend the mating season in Antarctica, where temperatures routinely drop to −40 °F (−40 °C). The colony survives such life-threatening cold by gathering together in a huge group to share warmth and minimize individual exposure to the elements. At regular intervals, the penguins at the outer fringes of the huddle are brought into the middle so every member is given the opportunity to warm up.
Wood frog
When temperatures grow chilly, the wood frog adapts by letting itself freeze, remaining in this unique form of suspended animation until the spring thaw. It can survive being frozen by accumulating glucose, a cryoprotectant, in its tissues.
Flat bark beetle
Like the wood frog, the flat bark beetle generates special chemicals to survive the winter cold. It reduces the amount of water in its body while accumulating tissue-protecting proteins, which allow it to survive what nature throws at it.
Camel
Known as the “ships of the desert,” camels can survive temperatures as high as 120 °F (49 °C) and go a week or more without consuming water.
Sahara desert ant
This tiny insect’s secret to survival in a desert environment that can exceed 140 °F (60 °C) is its long legs, which allow it to move quickly and keep its body above the scorching sand.
Jerboa
This desert-dwelling rodent takes the easy route when it comes to surviving extreme heat: it sleeps in a cool burrow during the day and comes out at night, when it’s cooler, to find food.