
28/08/2025
The deep-sea polychaete Paralvinella hessleri, discovered amid the scorching hydrothermal vents off the western Pacific, has evolved a remarkable tactic to endure its toxic surroundings—essentially fighting poison with poison. By accumulating arsenic in its tissues, which can account for over 1% of its body weight, the worm fuses this arsenic with sulfide from vent emissions to biomineralize orpiment—a vivid golden mineral long prized by Renaissance artists. This ingenious detoxification strategy neutralizes harmful substances while giving the worm its bright-yellow hue, enabling it to inhabit one of Earth’s most hostile environments with extraordinary resilience.