This frog hides its blood to disappear
It's a trick straight out of science fiction, but this frog can totally vanish
Imagine looking down at a sleeping creature and seeing its heart…
Which animal can you literally see through?
- It's a trick straight out of science fiction, but this frog can totally vanish
- The liver has a mirrored surface that reflects the light, masking the red color.
- This disappearing act is a vital survival tool the frog uses throughout its life to remain hidden from predators.
How does a living creature turn into a piece of glass? The glass frog vanishes by hiding its own blood inside its liver.
While most animals are opaque, this frog's underside is completely translucent. Looking at one is like looking through a telescope; you can watch its heart beat, see food move through its gut, and track its bones.
Normally, the red blood cells circulating through its body would give it away to predators. To solve this, the frog packs nearly 90% of its red blood cells into its liver while it sleeps.
The liver has a mirrored surface that reflects the light, masking the red color. This turns the frog's body into a living window that blends perfectly with the leaf it sits on.
Humans would develop massive, fatal blood lumps if we tried this. The frog is able to pack its blood cells together without forming fatal clots, a biological feat scientists are still working to understand. When the frog wakes up, the blood cells simply flood back into its veins, and it turns solid once again.
This disappearing act is a vital survival tool the frog uses throughout its life to remain hidden from predators.
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