In 2025: More Frog Dissections Are Done in Augmented Reality

Imagine a biology classroom where students and teachers don’t have to worry about the smell of formaldehyde or the ethical concerns of using real specimen frogs for dissections. Instead, they can simply point their student device at a Merge Cube, and hold a life-sized 3D frog ready for an interactive dissection—no mess, no toxic chemicals, and no animals harmed. Welcome to the future of biology class in 2025!

Bringing Virtual Frog Dissection to Life with AR

For decades, frog dissections have been an iconic part of many biology classrooms to provide a hands-on, engaging way for students to explore vertebrate anatomy. However, schools often face obstacles like cost, harmful chemicals, and concerns from students and teachers who might be uncomfortable with traditional dissection methods. These challenges can overshadow the valuable learning outcomes that result from exploring animal anatomy.

Enter Merge Explorer, a Merge EDU app that works with the Merge Cube to make learning hands-on, accessible and engaging. By scanning the Merge Cube with a smartphone, tablet, Chromebook, or compatible Windows device, students can select a fully interactive simulation of a frog dissection. The simulation allows students to inspect frog anatomy and identify internal organs—all using hands-on augmented reality.

Humane (Frog!) Dissection

Let’s look at the anatomy of a frog, which in some ways is similar in layout to a human. You can see the liver, the heart, lungs, and stomach. You can also see the unique way in which frogs store fat. Tap on the dissected frog to separate the organs and get a closer look!

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Why AR Dissections are Gaining Popularity

1. No Specimens Needed: With Merge EDU, there’s no need to source real frogs. This not only addresses ethical and financial concerns, but also ensures every student gets their own hands-on experience.
2. Clean, Safe, and Environmentally Friendly: Traditionally, preservative chemicals used in labs pose health and environmental risks. AR dissections eliminate these concerns, making them safer for students and more sustainable for our planet.
3. Unlimited Exploration: Students can dissect the virtual frog multiple times—zoom in and out, rotate organs, and rewind to any point of the dissection. This flexibility provides unlimited practice and fosters deeper understanding.

Augmented Reality Frog Dissections are More Cost Effective (and more humane!)

By embracing Merge EDU for a virtual frog dissection, schools are not just saving money – they’re providing students with an engaging learning experience for years to come.

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Combining AR Dissection with Real Dissection

Schools that choose to offer real frog dissections can still benefit from frog dissection in augmented reality as a lab pre-activity. In many cases, teachers will blend this virtual dissection with real-life labs:

• AR + Real Dissection: Teachers can first have students dissect a frog in augmented reality before the real frog dissection. This can prepare students for what they will experience during the real dissection, reinforcing key concepts.
• AR Assessment Options: Students can capture screenshots or short recordings within the AR experience to document their findings, and turn them in as an assessment. They can include both information learned during the virtual + real dissections. 

The Future of AR in Science Class

The move toward augmented reality in classrooms represents a broader shift in how we teach science—prioritizing safety, accessibility, and student engagement. More and more frog dissections will be done in AR, helping schools overcome constraints like budget limitations, ethical concerns, and messy logistics.

But that’s not all! Merge EDU provides so much more than an AR frog dissection. From exploring the human body, experimenting with physical and chemical change, to examining plant cells and more—students can hold, inspect, and explore anything for hands-on, authentic learning experiences.