Ever wish you could disappear?
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science saying…
Glassfrogs can! They look nearly see-through while resting on leaves. But how do they hide their bloodflow? What’s the trick?
Enter Carlos Taboada and Jesse Delia at Duke University.
They used photoacoustic imaging on glassfrogs. This process uses brief light pulses to make ultrasound signals that map blood flow.
Turns out, resting glassfrogs direct most red blood cells to their livers. With fewer cells in vessels, more light passes through tissue making them seem clear! Transparency increases by two to threefold.
Wanna try this stealth mode? Sit on a leaf, very still, and don’t move your liver!
Reference: Taboada, C., Delia, J., Chen, M., Ma, C., Peng, X., Zhu, X., Jiang, L., Vu, T., Zhou, Q., Yao, J., O’Connell, L., & Johnsen, S. (2022). Glassfrogs conceal blood in their liver to maintain transparency. Science, 378(6626), 1315–1320.