Desulforudis audaxviator

Desulforudis audaxviator is a name for a type of tiny organism that lives in really harsh environments deep underground. Picture a little bug that lives way, way down in a dark cave, where there's no sun, no air, and hardly any food. That's where Desulforudis audaxviator lives!

These bugs are called "chemotrophs," which means they make their food by using chemicals instead of sunlight like plants do. They use a process called "chemosynthesis" to turn chemicals in the environment into energy they can use to survive.

Desulforudis audaxviator is special because it's the only known species of organism that can live entirely on its own, never needing help from any other living thing. It doesn't need oxygen, light, or food from other sources. It just uses the chemicals around it to survive, and it's able to do this for long periods of time!

Scientists think this little bug could teach us a lot about how living things can survive in extreme environments, like on other planets or in space. Cool, huh?