Skip to main content

Why did hospitals have these frogs in their supply rooms? - Carly Anne York

186,956 Views

479 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

In the early 20th century, pregnancy testing required a slippery piece of equipment: a female African clawed frog. For decades, hospitals and research labs had a trusted supply of these handy creatures, employing their help in testing for pregnancy and in numerous other scientific endeavors. So what makes these frogs so special? Carly Anne York shares the secrets of these remarkable amphibians.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Carly Anne York
  • Director Yajun Shi
  • Narrator Alexandra Panzer
  • Storyboard Artist Yajun Shi
  • Animator Yajun Shi, Dongyao Chai
  • Compositor Yajun Shi
  • Art Director Yajun Shi
  • Music Cem Misirlioglu, Greg Chudzik
  • Sound Designer Cem Misirlioglu
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Senior Producer Anna Bechtol
  • Producer Sazia Afrin
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Fact-Checker Charles Wallace, Jennifer Nam

More from Getting Under Our Skin