NEW DELHI, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Indian scientists have found micro-organisms called extremophiles, that can survive boiling water and UV radiation, local tabloid Mail Today reported Thursday.

    The scientists discovered these 40 kilometers above the Earth' s surface, said the report.

    Leading the effort is South Indian city Hyderabad's Center of Cellular and Microbiology scientist S. Shivaji, who has researched bacteria in Antarctica, Arctic Ocean and the Himalayan Glaciers.

    "The three new species discovered now can be differentiated from all species so far reported in scientific literature," the paper quoted Shivaji as saying.

    These bacteria can withstand higher doses of ultraviolet radiation, grow in low nutrient conditions, and have fatty acid compositions that allows them to survive extreme conditions.

    The new species were isolated after extensive analysis of air samples collected from upper atmosphere. The samples were collected at altitudes between 20 kilometers to 41.4 kilometers in April 2005, but the discovery only came recently.

    Scientists say it is difficult to predict how bacteria can survive in such low-oxygen environment.

    Extremophile research raises questions on survival of life forms. It can lead to further identification of novel strains and find a variety of applications in biotechnology-based products, said the scientists.