Question

Which of the following extremophiles might researchers most likely use as a model for the earliest organisms on Earth?

A. A bacterium capable of living at extremely high salinity
B. An anaerobic archaean species
C. A bacterium found on another planet or moon
D. An archaean capable of surviving in the polar ice caps
E. A bacterium that thrives in a highly acidic environment

Answer 1

Researchers might most likely use an anaerobic archaean species or a bacterium capable of surviving in the polar ice caps as a model for the earliest organisms on Earth.

Step-by-step explanation:

Extremophiles are organisms that thrive in extreme environments. Researchers might most likely use as a model for the earliest organisms on Earth either an anaerobic archaean species or a bacterium capable of surviving in the polar ice caps. Archaea are now known to live just about everywhere on Earth and are recognized as a major aspect of life on Earth. Bacteria and archaea that are adapted to grow under extreme conditions are called extremophiles, and they give us a better understanding of prokaryotic diversity.