BeigeJournal

Science 15 August 2003 Vol 301 page 934, “Extending the Upper Temperature limit for Life,” Kazem Kashefi and Derek R. Lovley. They cultured a microbe from a hydrothermal vent that can grow at 121°C. They call it “Strain 121,” naturally. This is particularly interesting because 121°C is the temperature in a standard autoclave, which kills all previously described microbes and spores. These things can double in 24 hours under autoclave conditions. Below 85°C they shut down because it is just too darn cold.