A hardy microbe has been discovered capable of surviving conditions similar to the extreme environments found on Mars. The organism thrives in one of the hottest places on the planet in supersaturated salt water that is 89C (192F) and strongly acidic. And the find offers the first evidence of a species surviving in the hot springs of the Ethiopian region. The region’s similarities to the environment of early Mars will reveal more secrets about Earth and the origins of the Red Planet, scientists say.