WIRED Staff
Science

Slideshow: Kissing a Mirror to Find a Frog

All the world's a stage, but some of the world's smaller critters can use a little help getting noticed. So researchers in New Zealand design a mirror stage to get a new angle on some tiny endangered frogs. Kim Griggs reports from Wellington.
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Native Frog Recovery Group leader Avi Holzapfel demonstrates the four-way photographic image technique on his computer screen.Crown copyright: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai (2004), Photographer: Des Williams

See related story: Kissing a Mirror to Find a Frog

The quotrail tablequot or base of the mirror stage slides hopefully with a live Archey's frog still on it into the stage.

The "rail table," or base, of the mirror stage slides -- hopefully with a live Archey's frog still on it -- into the stage.

Crown copyright: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai (2004), Photographer: Des Williams
Lights camera and all ready for action The frogmonitoring camera equipment is tested in New Zealand.

Lights, camera and all ready for action: The frog-monitoring camera equipment is tested in New Zealand.

Crown copyright: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai (2004), Photographer: Des Williams
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An Archey's frog hides out during the day in Whareorino.

Crown copyright: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai (2004), Photographer: Avi Holzapfel
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(Archey's frog) photographed in the field shows its markings on four sides in the same image.

Crown copyright: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai (2004), Photographer: Jessica Wallace
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New Zealand's native frogs live in montane, high-altitude cloud forests.

Crown copyright: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai (2004), Photographer: Avi Holzapfel
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(Archey's frog) cavorts in a New Zealand forest.

Crown copyright: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai (2004), Photographer: Avi Holzapfel
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The frog stage provides a four-way view of a model frog.

Crown copyright: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai (2004), Photographer: Avi Holzapfel