Thick walled cells that make bacteria resistant to harsh environments are known as _________________________.

Thick walled cells that make bacteria resistant to harsh environments are known as spores.

Thick walled cells that make bacteria resistant to harsh environments are known as endospores.

Thick walled cells that make bacteria resistant to harsh environments are known as endospores.

To arrive at this answer, one can start by understanding that endospores are structures formed by certain bacteria in response to adverse conditions. These structures protect the bacterial DNA and other essential cellular components from harsh environments such as heat, radiation, chemicals, and desiccation.

By knowing the term "endospores," one can conclude that the thick-walled cells that provide resistance to bacteria in harsh environments are referred to as endospores.