THE ice-free areas of Antarctica were initially thought to be devoid of life, but with the advent of modern genetic technologies, scientists now know that microorganisms have adapted to living in this extreme environment.
Researchers at the University of Pretoria (UP) have taken this knowledge further with their discovery that the cold, dry soils of Antarctica are home to several million microorganisms.
The Dry Valleys of East Antarctica are the most extreme example of polar soils; these valleys are arguably the coldest and driest deserts on Earth.
About 50 years ago, it