By Susan Milius
Worms from deep-sea vents actually prefer water at temperatures near the upper limits of what animals are known to survive. An experiment, featuring a heated aquarium pressurized to 246 atmospheres, marks the first time researchers have directly tested vent worms’ temperature preferences.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2006/04/5794.jpg?resize=141%2C150&ssl=1)
Paralvinella sulfincola is one of the few worms that set up house in the hot zones of hydrothermal vents called chimneys. These deep-sea features spew hot fluids that come from within Earth. The team collected specimens of P. sulfincola from 1,800 meters deep in the northeastern Pacific.