JUL 24, 2019

These Frogs Freeze Solid and Thaw Out Several Months Later

WRITTEN BY: Anthony Bouchard

The idea of having your body frozen solid and then thawed out sometime in the future sounds like something straight out of science fiction, but for some frogs in the world’s coldest climates, it’s a way of life.

These frogs freeze solid during the Winter, but eight months later, the Sun’s warmth thaws them out, and they spring to life.

As it turns out, the frogs’ livers work overtime during the freezing process, pumping a chemical through their bodies that acts as a natural antifreeze. While the animal’s outermost layers freeze solid, the aforementioned chemical protects its cells and vital organs, allowing it to thaw safely when the warmer months come around.

Scientists don’t think that this process negatively impacts the frog’s health in any way, and with that in mind, it seems to be a particularly intriguing superpower on the frog’s behalf.