The Alaskan wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) has one of the most extraordinary survival strategies in the animal kingdom.
During the harsh Alaskan winters, this frog freezes solid — meaning its heart stops beating, it stops breathing, and up to 70% of its body water turns to ice. Its body essentially shuts down.
To survive this freeze, the frog produces high concentrations of glucose and urea in its vital organs, acting like antifreeze to protect cells from damage.
These compounds prevent ice crystals from forming inside the cells, which would otherwise be lethal. Instead, ice forms in the spaces outside the cells.
As temperatures rise in spring, the frog thaws out. Remarkably, it resumes its heartbeat, breathing, and normal bodily functions within a day or two, effectively "coming back to life."
This phenomenon is a remarkable example of cryobiology and is of great interest to scientists studying cryopreservation and organ transplantation.
This adaptation allows the wood frog to thrive farther north than any other North American amphibian — even above the Arctic Circle.
During the harsh Alaskan winters, this frog freezes solid — meaning its heart stops beating, it stops breathing, and up to 70% of its body water turns to ice. Its body essentially shuts down.
To survive this freeze, the frog produces high concentrations of glucose and urea in its vital organs, acting like antifreeze to protect cells from damage.
These compounds prevent ice crystals from forming inside the cells, which would otherwise be lethal. Instead, ice forms in the spaces outside the cells.
As temperatures rise in spring, the frog thaws out. Remarkably, it resumes its heartbeat, breathing, and normal bodily functions within a day or two, effectively "coming back to life."
This phenomenon is a remarkable example of cryobiology and is of great interest to scientists studying cryopreservation and organ transplantation.
This adaptation allows the wood frog to thrive farther north than any other North American amphibian — even above the Arctic Circle.
The Alaskan wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) has one of the most extraordinary survival strategies in the animal kingdom.
During the harsh Alaskan winters, this frog freezes solid — meaning its heart stops beating, it stops breathing, and up to 70% of its body water turns to ice. Its body essentially shuts down.
To survive this freeze, the frog produces high concentrations of glucose and urea in its vital organs, acting like antifreeze to protect cells from damage.
These compounds prevent ice crystals from forming inside the cells, which would otherwise be lethal. Instead, ice forms in the spaces outside the cells.
As temperatures rise in spring, the frog thaws out. Remarkably, it resumes its heartbeat, breathing, and normal bodily functions within a day or two, effectively "coming back to life."
This phenomenon is a remarkable example of cryobiology and is of great interest to scientists studying cryopreservation and organ transplantation.
This adaptation allows the wood frog to thrive farther north than any other North American amphibian — even above the Arctic Circle.
