Living things / DAY 20 OF 40
Frozen frog. Still in the game.
Wood frogs can survive a winter with ice forming inside their bodies.
Here's the strange part.
A wood frog's winter routine makes hibernation sound understated. Ice forms outside its cells, and its heartbeat and breathing stop while it is frozen. Glucose helps protect the cells from freezing damage and dehydration. When conditions improve, the frog thaws and becomes active again. The crucial detail is where the ice forms; this is not every cell turning into an ice cube. (U.S. National Park Service)
Ice forms outside the cells, not throughout every part of the animal. 'Frozen solid' misses the biological protection that makes survival possible.
REALITY CHECK · TRUE OR FALSE?
Frog freezer: mind the small print.
Ice forms throughout every cell of a surviving frozen wood frog.
Go straight to the receipts.
Curious about the methods, dates or details? Open the original source and keep the caveat in view.
ORIGINAL SOURCEU.S. National Park ServiceOpen publication ↗NEXT IN THE 40-DAY TRAIL / DAY 21Your skeleton came with extra pieces. ↗