BioTech Encyclopedia

Pompeii worm

Experiments: basic research on living systems, not technology.

Also: Alvinella pompejana

A worm that lives on the walls of black smoker chimneys, among the most heat-tolerant animals known.

Known properties: Pompeii worm

Only what the cited papers report.

  • In-situ readings suggested exposures above 80 °C, but lab tests show its upper limit is below 55 °C; the exact limit is debated. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0064074

Key measured values

Values as stated in the cited paper's abstract.

PropertyValueSource
Temperatures recorded in situ>80 °CCary 1998
Lethal exposure in lab (2 h)50–55 °CRavaux 2013
Thermal optimum>42 °CRavaux 2013

Open questions

Gaps stated by the researchers themselves.

  • The animal's true thermal limit has been debated since its discovery; in-situ readings and lab results disagree. Ravaux 2013

Patents

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Timeline

  1. 1998 Worms on hot chimneys
  2. 2013 Lab test of its heat limit

Readiness: lab lab studies · prototype demonstrated objects · commercial products or buildings in real use · review summaries of other studies.
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lab biology 1998

Worms on hot chimneys

Cary, Shank and Stein reported that Alvinella pompejana regularly experiences temperatures above 80 °C and a 60 °C gradient along its body.

As reported in: Cary, Shank, Stein (1998). Worms bask in extreme temperatures. Nature. doi:10.1038/35286

Abstract only

lab biology 2013

Lab test of its heat limit

Ravaux and colleagues kept live worms in a pressurised aquarium; 2 hours at 50–55 °C was lethal, but its thermal optimum is above 42 °C.

As reported in: Ravaux, Hamel, Zbinden et al. (2013). Thermal Limit for Metazoan Life in Question: In Vivo Heat Tolerance of the Pompeii Worm. PLoS ONE. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0064074

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