FrogPhone facts for kids
The FrogPhone is a cool invention that helps scientists learn about frogs! It's a special machine with microphones that listen to frogs and their calls. It also has thermometers to check the temperature of the air and water where frogs live.
Scientists want to understand frogs better and protect their homes, called habitats. They can place a FrogPhone in a swamp or other froggy place and leave it there. The FrogPhone runs on special batteries that get power from a solar panel. This means scientists don't have to go back often to change batteries, so they don't disturb the plants or animals.
How the FrogPhone Works
Scientists can use their regular cell phones to call the FrogPhone. It's like calling a friend, but you're calling a machine in a swamp! When they call, they can:
- Listen to what's happening right then and there.
- Make a recording to listen to later.
- Send recordings to a big online collection of sounds for other scientists to study.
The FrogPhone needs cell phone service (like 3G or 4G) to work. But scientists are hoping that in the future, it could even connect using satellites! This would let them use it in places far away from cell towers.
Who Invented the FrogPhone?
Scientists in Australia created the FrogPhone in 2019. Teams from different universities, like the University of New South Wales in Canberra and the University of Canberra, worked together. They also got help from the Australian Capital Territory's Region Frogwatch Program and the Australian National University.
The FrogPhone has been tested to make sure it works well. It's an exciting new tool that could help us learn a lot more about frogs and their amazing world!
