A biological miracle
The northern forests of Canada and Alaska are home to a most amazing creature—the wood frog. With some of the most dramatic temperature ranges in the world, this little creature survives winters of up to minus 80 degrees through what researches are calling a biological miracle.
“At the beginning of winter, ice quickly fills the wood frog’s abdominal cavity and encases the internal organs. Ice crystals form between layers of skin and muscle. The eyes turn white because the lens freezes.
At the same time, the wood frog’s liver produces large amounts of glucose that flushes into every cell in its body. This syrupy sugar solution prevents the cells from freezing and binds the water molecules inside the cells to prevent dehydration.
There is no muscle movement. No heartbeat. No breathing.”
Most would not survive the deep freeze but somehow, after being completely frozen for the 8 month winter season. the frog’s heart starts beating, the brain activates and it begins to move. How this happens mystifies scientists.
Photo courtesy of: DDauri Daniel D'Auria, CC BY-SA 3.0. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wood\_Frog.jpg
https://www.nps.gov/gaar/learn/nature/wood-frog-page-2.htm#:\~:text=At%20the%20same%20time%2C%20the,the%20cells%20to%20prevent%20dehydration.