Australia - A deadly fungus has been attacking Australia's green and golden bell frogs, pushing them into the bowels of extinction. Now, a new solution has appeared, but it's nature is certainly a surprise.

Scientists have published a report in Nature, titled "Mini saunas save endangered frogs from fungal disease," which advocates for the placing of these frogs in small plastic shelters and basically steaming the fungus off their bodies.

The idea is that the containers will increase in temperature to a point at which the fungus cannot survive but the frog itself is completely unharmed. By doing so, you preserve the frog and destroy the deadly fungus.

It is believed that if these devices are distributed widely and made readily available, then a targeted campaign could greatly improve the viability of Australia's green and golden bell frog population.

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Speaking to Science about the report, conservation biologist Brian Gratwicke said that "it's a super innovative and impressive paper" and shared that he believes "the implications are very hopeful."

The paper itself described the mini sauna idea as "a simple, low-cost solution to provide warm conditions" that are suitable enough "to clear the infection and remain disease free."

The specific fungal infection involved, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has already wiped out an entire species of frogs in Central America, making the introduction of the disease to Australia deeply concerning.

While fungal medications do work, they are difficult to apply to big populations of frogs and have complicating manufacturing requirements.

Frog saunas, however, have the possibility to be a highly effective approach, as scientists are working to design shelters that attract frogs into them before steaming them up to 86 degrees, the temperature at which the fungus dies.

"We found frogs flocked to the sunny saunas, heated up their little bodies, and quickly fought off infection. Think of frog saunas as little factories that pump out healthy, chytrid-resistant frogs," said Anthony Waddle, one of the report's authors, in an article he penned for The Conversation.

His idea is to use the technology, which is inexpensive and made of materials that Waddle says can be found at most hardware stores on a massive scale. Each mini structure is made up of a small greenhouse sauna that is surrounded by bricks.

"The frog saunas could be used on a wider scale. We believe they would be best suited to supporting populations of Australian green and golden bell frogs, but they could be useful for other species too."

When it comes to saving the frogs with the steamiest of techniques, Waddle says, "Maybe all we have to do is give them an opportunity."