Inside the Frozen Zoo, where scientists put disappearing species on ice: ‘It’s banking hope’

Left: Ann Misuraca, research coordinator, takes flasks of cells out of an incubator to examine under a microscope at the Frozen Zoo. Right: Samples at the Frozen Zoo at the Beckman Center. Composite: Maggie Shannon

In a basement laboratory abutting an 1,800-acre wildlife park in San Diego, California, Marlys Houck looks up to see a uniformed man holding a blue insulated lunch bag filled with small pieces of eyes, trachea, feet and feathers.

“Ah,” she says, softly. “Here are today’s samples.”