How much heat can some insects take? Not many can beat the Sahara Desert ant, which can remain active with a body temperature of more than 50 degrees C (that’s 122 degrees F!). That comes in handy, considering the desert surface where it lives can reach up to 70 degrees C (a whopping 158 degrees F) at the hottest point of the day.

Scientists believe Sahara Desert ants have managed to push heat tolerance about as far as possible for most animals on our planet. Only single-celled or microscopic creatures known as thermophiles (from the Greek words for “heat” and “love”) can beat them; these tiny heat-lovers thrive at temperatures of up to 80 degrees C (176 degrees F)!

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