News Animals

Devil worm genes hold clues for how some animals survive extreme heat

The critters have extra copies of a gene that ramps up to deal with higher temperatures

devil worm

Named after Mephistopheles, a devil in Faustian legend, devil worms (Halicephalobus mephisto) live in hellish conditions up to 1.3 kilometers underground.

John Bracht and Megan Guerin

By Sofie Bates

- More than 2 years ago

You might expect a “devil worm” to have fiery eyes and a forked tail — or horns, at the very least.