The term for the ability of an organism to withstand extreme conditions is extremophily. Extremophiles are organisms that thrive in environments that would be hostile to most forms of life, such as extreme temperatures, salinity, or acidity. Examples include thermophiles, which prefer high temperatures, and halophiles, which thrive in salty environments. Studying extremophiles is important for understanding biological adaptations, and they may have applications in biotechnology, industrial processes, and astrobiology, as they could inform the search for life on other planets.