Due to the high salinity of the Dead Sea, many living creatures, including marine animals, are unable to stay alive in the sea. However, there is one organism that can survive this extreme environment, named Haloferax volcanii.

In the 1930s, Microbiologist Benjamin Elazari Volcani discovered one microbe that can be isolated from the high salt environment, and he self-named this microbe as Haloferax volcanii. From the research, the condition of the Dead Sea is an ideal place for the growth of Haloferax volcanii. Without the salt, this microbe will lose its activity.

Because of its ability to live in the high salt environment, Haloferax volcanii plays an important role in the biotechnology field. Moreover, it is possibly Haloferax volcanii ranked as one of the earliest living organisms. It might also provide some information regarding evolution.

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