Bacteria inhabit every place on Earth—including places where no other organism can survive. Bacteria have been detected as high as 20 miles (32 kilometers) above the earth and 7 miles (11 kilometers) deep in the waters of the Pacific Ocean. They are found in extreme environments, such as the Arctic tundra, boiling hot springs, and our bodies. Heat-tolerant bacteria have been found at a gold mine in South Africa at a level of 2.17 miles (3.5 kilometers) below Earth’s surface where the temperature in the mine was 149°F (65°C).