‘Conan the Bacterium’ could really conquer the solar system, new study suggests

"Chalk up another victory for “Conan the Bacterium”—a rugged germ that fresh research suggests could conquer the solar system. Better known as *Deinococcus radiodurans,* this microbe is arguably the toughest organism known to science. Past studies have shown it can endure extreme cold, intense radiation, harsh chemicals and profound dehydration—all evolutionary adaptations, perhaps, to what’s thought to be its natural home in the high, dry and sun-scorched deserts of northern Chile."