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Millions of people across the United States now face frigid temperatures, and some areas are even vulnerable to “exploding trees” (though they’re not what you think). This cold snap can prove extremely dangerous for people not used to such temperatures and those lacking working heat at home, as humans haven’t broadly evolved physical features to deal with freezing conditions.
Some other species, meanwhile, have adapted clever tricks to help them chill in some of the chilliest of environments:
Wood frogs, for example, freeze in the winter and thaw out in the spring. They’re found in forests spanning New England, the Appalachians, Canada, and Alaska, and they’re the only frogs that live north of the Arctic Circle. To survive the coldest months, they settle into the forest floor among leaf debris. Then, their breath and heartbeat cease. Ice builds up in their bodies, but they prevent it from forming inside their cells—which would prove a deadly outcome—by accumulating urea and glucose. These helpful substances mix and act as natural antifreeze, enabling them to stay dormant for up to eight months.
Now, researchers are exploring how drastic temperature swings brought on by climate change might affect the wood frog’s weird winter tradition.
Read more: “The Animals That Exist Between Life and Death”
In the icy waters around Antarctica, icefishes also employ a special skill to avoid freezing. They harness special antifreeze proteins that stick to ice crystals and stop them from expanding. These tough fish also have relatively thin blood that can keep on flowing in the cold because they don’t produce hemoglobin or red blood cells. This allows blood and oxygen to reach their tissues and ups the odds of survival. This adaptation gives their cells and tissues a translucent appearance.
Iceworms not only survive but thrive in the cold. They shack up inside glaciers in Washington, Alaska, Oregon, and British Columbia. These inch-long worms actually melt at 40 degrees Fahrenheit and above—hence their latin name Solifugus, or “sun-avoider.” They easily travel between ice crystals thanks to tiny bristles that can grab onto ice, a feature that would be helpful for any person hoping to cross a frozen sidewalk. At dusk, they climb up to the glacier’s surface and munch on snow algae. As glaciers melt due to climate change, their real estate continues to shrink.
Any list of extremely hardy creatures would be remiss to exclude the tardigrade, also known as the water bear. These ancient microscopic animals dwell everywhere on our planet—from sizzling hot springs to Antarctic lakes. They can survive temperatures as low as negative 328 degrees Fahrenheit and as high as more than 300 degrees. These critters can also endure intense radiation that would kill other organisms, including the high levels present in space. In such extreme conditions, they curl up into a ball, dry up, and enter a dormant state to help them weather the elements.
Hibernation helps plenty of animals persist in frosty environments, and some of our ancestors may have even slept through the winter—unfortunately, though, it’s not a very practical option for us today. 
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Lead image: Jay Ondreicka / Shutterstock
