Fire amoeba breaks heat tolerance record for complex life
An amoeba living in a Californian hot spring is thriving above 60°C, a threshold previously thought deadly to complex life
A species of amoeba discovered in California's Lassen Volcanic National Park has shattered the temperature barrier for complex life forms. Named Incendiamoeba cascadensis, or simply the "fire amoeba" by researchers, this organism can thrive in waters heated up to 70°C. However, it can only eat and reproduce up to temperatures of 63°C, and becomes unable to move above 64°C.
Angela Oliverio, a researcher at Syracuse University, notes that previously, 60°C was considered the "4-minute mile" for eukaryotes, the branch of the tree of life that includes all complex life forms such as animals and plants. The discovery of the fire amoeba suggests that eukaryotes can grow at temperatures higher than previously thought possible, potentially leading to more similarly tolerant extremophile species being found elsewhere.
The amoeba is the top-order predator in its environment, feeding on thermophile bacteria, which are more prevalent in the hot conditions where it resides.
Written by urgent.news from New Scientist's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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