this is true, frozen frog
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BULLDOG
Diamond Member
- Jun 3, 2014
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He looks very uncomfortable.
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- #3
it technically dead and just taking a long nap until it warms up
BULLDOG
Diamond Member
- Jun 3, 2014
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My ex-wife is taking a long nap. God, I hope she doesn't come back.
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had to ask grok, more context:
The Alaskan wood frog is renowned for its ability to survive extreme cold by freezing solid during winter and thawing out in spring, a process called freeze tolerance. This allows it to endure Alaska’s harsh winters, including temperatures as low as –18.1°C (0.4°F), for up to 7–8 months. Here’s a detailed explanation of how it “freezes itself to death” and thaws, based on scientific data (e.g., University of Alaska Fairbanks, National Park Service):
Freezing Process
The Alaskan wood frog is renowned for its ability to survive extreme cold by freezing solid during winter and thawing out in spring, a process called freeze tolerance. This allows it to endure Alaska’s harsh winters, including temperatures as low as –18.1°C (0.4°F), for up to 7–8 months. Here’s a detailed explanation of how it “freezes itself to death” and thaws, based on scientific data (e.g., University of Alaska Fairbanks, National Park Service):
Freezing Process
- Physiological Shutdown: During winter (October–April in Alaska), the wood frog enters a hibernatory state in shallow leaf litter (4–10 cm deep) near breeding ponds, insulated by snow. As temperatures drop below 0°C (32°F):
- Up to 65–70% of its body water freezes, forming ice in extracellular spaces (e.g., body cavity, under skin).
- The frog’s heart stops beating, breathing ceases, and blood flow halts, resembling clinical death. It becomes stiff, with no detectable vital signs.
- Cryoprotectants: To prevent cellular damage from ice crystals:
- The liver rapidly converts glycogen to glucose, acting as an antifreeze. Glucose levels spike (e.g., 13-fold in muscle, 10-fold in heart, 3.3-fold in liver compared to lab-frozen frogs).
- Urea accumulates in tissues, further protecting cells.
- Antifreeze glycolipids stabilize cell membranes, preventing rupture.
GLASNOST
Gold Member
But does it really freeze above ground? I would have thought it hibernates in frozen lakes and ponds, deep in the muck, alongside salamanders and newts.
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