Salt of the earth

The word of the day is 'saltern'. That's a place where salt is made. We've been doing that (making salt, that is) since prehistoric times, but what's even more interesting about salterns is how rich they are in salt-loving microorganisms. One such group is the Ectothiorhodospiraceae, or purple sulfur bacteria. They just love salt. That, and sulfur. 

There's no conclusion here. I just really enjoy microorganisms with exotic lifestyles.