How Do Wood Frogs Survive Being Frozen?

💡 The Answer

• Wood frogs produce high concentrations of glucose that act as a natural cryoprotectant.
• Their heart stops beating and they stop breathing for several months while frozen.
• Ice forms around organs but cells are protected by special proteins that prevent lethal crystallization.
• When temperatures rise, the frogs thaw from the inside out and resume normal activities within hours.