hyperthermophile

A hyperthermophile is an organism that thrives in extremely hot environments—from upward. An optimal temperature for the existence of hyperthermophiles is often above . Hyperthermophiles are often within the domain Archaea, although few bacterial examples exist. Some of them are able to live at temperatures greater than , deep in the ocean where high pressures increase the boiling point of water. Many hyperthermophiles are also able to withstand other environmental extremes, such as high acidity or high radiation levels. Hyperthermophiles are a subset of extremophiles. Their existence may support the possibility of extraterrestrial life, showing that life can thrive in environmental extremes.

==History== Hyperthermophiles isolated from hot springs in Yellowstone National Park were first reported by Thomas D. Brock in 1965. Since then, more than 70 species have been established. The most extreme hyperthermophiles live on the superheated walls of deep-sea hydrothermal vents, requiring temperatures of at least for survival. An extraordinary heat-tolerant hyperthermophile is Geogemma barossii (Strain 121), which has been able to double its population during 24 hours in an autoclave at (hence its name). The current record growth temperature is , for Methanopyrus kandleri.