At the end of its life, the phoenix goes out in style. With a loud cry, the crimson bird bursts into flames. Then from a pile of ash, a baby bird pokes out its tiny head. The phoenix has burned, but it is born anew. This story is common to ancient Greek and Egyptian mythology. And references to the phoenix span fiction today, from Harry Potter to the anime series One Piece.
There are no real phoenixes hiding anywhere. But science has revealed that some living things can take quite a bit of heat. And like the phoenix, a few are even born from the ashes.