The trouble with lichen

Spotted some beautifully intricate patterns of lichen on the rocks today. The one in this photo is probably about 2" long and is almost spiral.

I did a little research and it turns out that lichen is a composite organ, meaning it's formed by the pairing of a fungus with an alga or bacterium. The resulting 'body' is completely different from that of either the fungus or alga on its own. 
One of the first life forms on earth it's highly resilient and can survive extremes, thriving in both arid deserts and Antarctica. It's even been sent into outer space and has been shown to survive conditions there unchanged.

Who'd have thought something so everyday that usually passes unnoticed could be such a triumph of survival?