Pyrolobus fumari

Pyrolobus fumari is a family of archaea microbes known for their ability to survive at extremely high temperatures.

They were first discovered in 1997 in a black smoker hydrothermal vent at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, setting the upper temperature threshold for known life to exist at 113° Celsius.cite web |url=http://environment.newscientist.com/article/dn14208-the-most-extreme-lifeforms-in-the-universe.html |title=The most extreme life-forms in the universe |accessdate=2008-06-26 |last=Davison |first=Anna |coauthors= |date=26 June 2008 |work= |publisher=NewScientist.com news service] [cite paper |last= |first= |author=Blöchl E |coauthors=Rachel R, Burggraf S, Hafenbradl D, Jannasch HW, Stetter KO. |title=Pyrolobus fumarii, gen. and sp. nov., represents a novel group of archaea, extending the upper temperature limit for life to 113 degrees C. |version= |pages= |publisher=pubmed.gov |date=1997 Feb |url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9680332 |format= |id= |accessdate= ]

Strain 121, a microbe from the same family found at a vent in the Pacific Ocean, survived and multiplied during a 10-hour blast in a 121° Celsius autoclave. It was finally killed at a temperature of 130° Celsius.

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