These extraordinary bacteria
这些了不起的细菌
are not just tolerating the strange river conditions,
并不仅仅适应了这奇怪的河流生态系统
they're actually creating them.
事实上它们缔造了它
They simply don't behave like life as we know it.
只不过其生存方式与我们的认知相去甚远
The community, the ecology
在这条河流中
of the extremophiles living in this river,
此类极端生物的生存方式
they don't need to eat complex organic molecules
不同于人类或动物的细胞
like our cells have to, like human cells or animal cells,
它们不需要消耗有机大分子
they've got far simpler requirements,
它们的需求十分简单
and all those cells need to munch on are fundamental things
这些微生物只需要消耗简单基本的东西
like iron and sulphur dissolved in the water,
比如说溶在水中的铁和硫
and they're reacting together
它们之间相互作用
and use that chemical reaction to power themselves,
利用化学反应为自己提供能量
and a by-product - a waste product, if you like -
在这个过程中 它们的副产品
of that living process
也可以被叫做排泄物
is the sulphuric acid
就是硫酸
and that's why Rio Tinto is so phenomenally acidic.
这就是力拓河水酸性如此之强的原因
So life can find ways to survive
所以即便是在
even in conditions people thought
人们以为无法存活的地方
would mean instant death.
也有生命存在

重点解释：

1.in conditions 在 ... 情况下(在 ... 条件下)

例句：Rich and poor live side by side but in conditions of extraordinary disparity.
虽然富人和穷人住在一起，但是条件相差极为悬殊。

2.instant death 当场死亡

例句：He threatened them with instant death.
他威胁说要把他们立即处死。