Angela Oliverio, assistant professor of biology in Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), was featured on Science Friday, the nationally recognized science news and education platform, for her research on a newly discovered microorganism known as the “fire amoeba.”

The Science Friday feature spotlighted Oliverio’s work studying Incendiamoeba cascadensis, an extremophile discovered in a stream near California’s Lassen Volcanic National Park. Oliverio and collaborator Beryl Rappaport, a biology Ph.D. student in A&S, found that the single-celled organism can survive in temperatures up to 63°C (145°F), making it the most heat-tolerant eukaryotic organism identified to date.

The feature highlighted the fire amoeba’s extraordinary ability to adapt to extreme heat by changing its physical shape. The amoeba can also form a protective cyst, enabling it to withstand temperatures as high as 70°C (158°F). These findings challenge long-standing scientific assumptions about the temperature limits of complex cellular life.

Science Friday also showcased Oliverio’s broader research combining biology, computer science and data analysis to better understand how microorganisms evolve, interact and adapt to their environments. Her work helps scientists uncover the mechanisms that allow microbial communities to thrive in diverse ecosystems, from volcanic habitats to soil and aquatic environments.