What is the only mammal that survives below zero degrees body temperature and why doesn't its body freeze?

Arpeggionist

Plenty of communities of seals that live in antarctica, who not only have a high content of some sort of antifreeze in their bloodstream, but also have very thick blubber and hair. Feb 26 06, 8:18 AM

mochyn

Sorry Arpy not the right answer Feb 26 06, 9:12 AM

miffy42

there is a certain type of frog that can be frozen solid then thawed out and it is still alive. but of course its not a mammal! Feb 26 06, 1:22 PM

xfacilitatorx

Frozen frogs would reach 32 degrees f give or take a few degrees, but 0 is very difficult to reach when you consider the fact that the majority of animals are comprised of mostly water and water freezes at 32. Without the introduction of metal chlorides, water can not go below 32 degrees under normal pressure. Nor can it exceed 212 degrees under normal pressure. Pressure is why the cooking instructions for altitudes is quite different than at sea level. (check out the instructions on a box of Duncan Hines cake mix). Water boils at a lower temp. the higher you go and therefore alters the cooking rate of foods. So to sum it up- I do not know the answer to the question. Feb 26 06, 2:32 PM

vogon

Perhaps mochyn is referring to zero degrees Celsius, not fahrenheit. I believe certain species of bat are capable of this. Feb 26 06, 2:42 PM

xfacilitatorx

Good point Vogon! Feb 26 06, 7:04 PM

peasypod

I'd say the hibernating arctic ground squirrel comes up to par. And isn't he a cutie? http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/3003.shtml Feb 26 06, 10:48 PM

mochyn

YAY ,a cutie like you , peas, but why does he get not frozen? Feb 27 06, 12:58 AM

satcom_tech

"In the depths of winter, when hibernaculum temperatures drop below freezing, the arctic ground squirrel's body temperature does too. As cool as -3®C, the ground squirrel is, in fact, supercool. The water within its body remains fluid, even though it does not contain any form of antifreeze. Instead, it is able to balance on the edge of freezing only because there is no foreign object (like a speck of dirt or fleck of dust in pond water) around which ice crystals can form. As with other animals, should ice crystals form, the body cells rupture and death may occur. http://www.environmentyukon.gov.yk.ca/agsquirrel.html Feb 27 06, 2:18 PM