Snow fleas

The snow flea is not the relative of a flea blood-sicking. Nevertheless the hexapod living under a snow integument, also is able to jump far, being salvaged from predators.

The Canadian scientists have found out, why the tiny hexapods, eating musty organisms and living under a snow, do not freeze.

Taurus of snow fleas in the dimension from 1 up to 2 millimeters with six legs and without wings contains proteins which lower a freezing point of fluids on some degrees.

This discovering can be useful in several ranges. First, organs for transplantation can be stored now at lower temperatures that will prolong term of their storage. Besides the proteins received from snow fleas can be applied in effecting the refrigerated products, and also in an agriculture to protection of fetuses against frosts.

Scientists have found, that “proteins-antifreezes” of snow fleas are not similar that it is possible to find out in an organism of beetles and moths. Most likely, development of hexapods, bearing a cold, went in parallel in connection with changes in a climate.