Scientists supported by NASA found a tiny organism in hot water at a California national park. Called the fire amoeba, it has just one cell. That cell contains a nucleus, a protected centre holding genetic information. The organism can divide to reproduce at 63 degrees Celsius. This sets a new heat record for organisms with this kind of cell.
Earlier research had put the limit at 60 degrees. Above 63 degrees, the amoeba stops reproducing, although it can still move at 64 degrees. Scientists study such life on Earth to explore possible limits for life elsewhere. The discovery does not show that life exists on another planet. It helps researchers ask better questions about where living cells might survive.