News Animals

Beneficial bacteria help these marine worms survive extreme cold

The microbes live inside the worms and produce proteins that help cold tolerance

Antarctic worm

Bacteria living inside marine worms like this one make antifreeze proteins that help the species survive cold Antarctic temperatures.

Michael Tangherlini

By Darren Incorvaia

Antarctic marine worms survive with a little help from their bacterial friends.

Close relatives of earthworms, polychaetes are some of the most common animals on the ocean floor, but how these species survive the low temperatures of Antarctic waters has been a mystery.