Final answer:
The addition of the Archaea domain to the original two domains of Bacteria and Eukarya was due to the discovery of prokaryotes that live in extreme environments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that best explains why a third domain, Archaea, was added to the original two domains of Bacteria and Eukarya is that scientists discovered that some prokaryotes live in extreme environments. Archaea, a domain of unicellular prokaryotic organisms, is known to thrive in harsh conditions such as hot springs, geysers, and salt flats. This discovery led scientists to recognize that Archaea is distinct from both Bacteria and Eukarya and should be considered as its own domain.