Fire Amoeba Breaks 60 °C Limit for Complex Life

Researchers at Syracuse University found Incendiamoeba cascadensis in hot springs at Lassen Volcanic National Park. The amoeba divides at 63 °C and survives 70 °C, the first confirmed eukaryote above the presumed 60 °C limit.

• The amoeba reproduces by mitosis at 63 °C, above the old 60 °C limit for eukaryotes
• It endures 70 °C by changing shape and forming a protective outer layer
• At 61 °C genes for cell integrity and DNA repair are upregulated
• The study was published in Cell; samples were collected from 2023 to 2025