Well, that's two different stories entirely, depending on whether those are degrees Fahrenheit or degrees Centigrade. Before I take my vacation there, I would like to know whether the ambient temperature is high enough to denature my proteins.
Well, that's two different stories entirely, depending on whether those are degrees Fahrenheit or degrees Centigrade. Before I take my vacation there, I would like to know whether the ambient temperature is high enough to denature my proteins.
Even on Earth we have hyperthermophiles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperthermophile) which can tolerate temperatures of up to 122 celsius.
And before anyone says "water boils at 100C", that's only at Earth-ambient atmospheric pressure.
Are you sure about that? I know that some extremophiles can survive temperatures in excess of 100 degrees C, but they're all single-celled creatures. I don't think complicated organisms can survive temperatures at which water boils.
EDIT: The Earth was anywhere from 2 -- 8 degrees C warmer when the dinosaurs were around than it is today. But that's still very far from boiling. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:All_palaeotemps.png