All articles tagged with #hibernation
Researchers are pursuing synthetic torpor—a hibernation-like state in humans—to cut metabolism, reduce radiation risks, and lessen food/water needs for long-duration space missions to Mars; while noninvasive triggers and early trials show promise, safely waking travelers remains a major hurdle, and initial practical applications are likely medical (e.g., organ preservation) before spaceflight, with timelines ranging from years to decades.
NASA's New Horizons, after roughly a year in hibernation about 5.9 billion miles from Earth, has awakened and is back online, with mission planners reporting all systems green as it resumes data gathering; it takes about nine hours for its radio signals to reach Earth, and the craft—launched in 2006 and famed for its 2015 Pluto images—continues exploring Pluto, the Kuiper Belt, and the outer heliosphere.
Researchers studying Arctic ground squirrels, which can survive months of extreme cold by entering a deep, hibernation-like state, aim to translate this ability into human therapies that slow metabolism to buy time during heart attacks, strokes, and brain injuries. Approaches include triggering hibernation-like metabolic slowdown via adenosine-like signals or targeted brain circuit manipulation, with potential benefits for organ preservation and even long-term spaceflight, though translating these findings to humans remains experimental and challenging.
Scientists have found humans harbor ancient regulatory DNA switches shared with bears and bats that govern metabolic shifts during fasting and recovery; by safely modulating these cis-regulatory elements, they could enhance metabolic flexibility and insulin sensitivity, protect organs during stress, and inform therapies for diabetes and aging without requiring actual hibernation.
German researchers revived mouse hippocampal tissue after vitrification at −196°C, showing neurons and synapses could function again after rewarming. While this demonstrates greater tolerance of brain tissue to cryogenic states and fuels discussion of human hibernation for long‑distance space travel, translating the finding to whole bodies or people remains far off and will require larger animal studies, improved cooling/rewarming techniques, and sustained funding; a spin‑off partner is pursuing post‑death neural cryopreservation for research.
Some mammals and birds can deliberately alter their internal temperature through heterothermy, using short bouts of torpor or longer hibernation to conserve energy and water during harsh weather, predators, or food shortages. Studies highlight bats, sugar gliders, dormice, and other species adjusting torpor in response to wind, rain, predators, and even moon phase, showing a flexible survival strategy beyond normal body temperature control. This helps them endure variability, though it isn’t a foolproof shield against climate change.
PCWorld outlines six Windows 11 tweaks to extend SSD lifespan by reducing write operations, including enabling TRIM, disabling hibernation and paging file, enabling write caching, maintaining at least 20% free space, and updating SSD firmware.
Scientists say humans might achieve a bear-like torpor by mimicking natural hibernation, a concept gaining attention for its potential in long-duration space travel and medical care. While controlled hypothermia already lowers metabolic needs in medical settings, it is pharmacologically intensive and not a long-term solution. Big questions remain about brain safety, physiology, and ethics, and no method has yet produced reversible, long-term human torpor. Research spans identifying neural and hormonal pathways, with space agencies exploring artificial stasis as a future capability for astronauts, but practical implementation is still unresolved.
Scientists have identified genes related to hibernation that humans also carry, suggesting potential for medical benefits such as improved metabolic regulation and neuroprotection by targeting these genes, although more research is needed to understand their effects and applications.
Research suggests humans may possess genetic 'superpowers' similar to hibernators, which could be harnessed to develop treatments for diseases like diabetes and Alzheimer's by targeting specific control switches in our DNA that regulate resilience and recovery mechanisms.
A new study suggests that the blood of hibernating bats could hold the key to enabling human hibernation for long-duration space travel. Researchers found that bat erythrocytes, or red blood cells, maintain their functionality at low temperatures, a trait that could be crucial for human hibernation. This discovery could potentially make interstellar travel feasible by reducing astronauts' metabolic needs, thereby minimizing resource consumption and psychological strain during long missions. While practical application is still distant, this research marks an important step towards realizing human hibernation for space exploration.
Researchers at Yale University have discovered how thirteen-lined ground squirrels manage to suppress thirst during their long hibernation periods. The squirrels maintain ion levels in their blood and use hormones as antidiuretics to conserve water. Despite being offered water during brief awakenings, the squirrels show no desire to drink, indicating a brain mechanism that prevents thirst signals from being processed. Understanding this mechanism could have implications for human space travel and medical procedures.
The article explores the concept of hibernation, a state of suspended animation used by many animals to survive harsh conditions, and questions whether humans could ever achieve a similar state. While hibernation involves a controlled reduction in metabolism and is common among various mammals, its application to humans remains speculative and largely within the realm of science fiction. Despite historical attempts to induce hibernation in humans, scientific understanding of the process is still limited, and the potential for human hibernation remains an intriguing but elusive possibility.
A study published in eLife has revealed new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying hibernation in mammals. The research suggests that myosin, a motor protein involved in muscle contraction, plays a role in non-shivering thermogenesis during hibernation. The study found that changes in the proportion of myosin in different resting states may contribute to reduced energy use during hibernation. The findings also indicate that small hibernating mammals experience increased ATP consumption during torpor, potentially as a response to cold exposure. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of further research into muscle samples from different areas of hibernating animals to validate these findings.
Groundhogs, including Punxsutawney Phil, are more than just weather predictors on Groundhog Day. They are true hibernators, with a reduced metabolism and lowered body temperature during winter dormancy. Emerging in February, not to see their shadow, but to find a mate, groundhogs have intricate burrow systems for protection. Despite their solitary nature, they can be territorial and aggressive, and their extensive burrows can cause damage to gardens and agricultural crops.