Can Humans Hibernate? Understanding the Potential Benefits of Inducing Hibernation

Summary

In this article, we explore the concept of inducing hibernation in humans for interplanetary journeys, medical applications, and wildlife preservation. Heiko Jansse’s research on bear hibernation provides insights into the physiological abilities that could be replicated in humans to induce hibernation. While the idea of humans hibernating for extended periods raises ethical concerns, inducing hibernation could have potential medical applications, such as halting the spread of terminal diseases until a cure is found.

Bear Hibernation: Understanding the Physiology
Hibernation for Interplanetary Journeys
Medical Applications of Inducing Hibernation
Ethical Issues and Future Developments
Conclusion

Bear Hibernation: Understanding the Physiology

While humans do not naturally hibernate, bears can survive for months without eating or drinking, and their body temperature only drops to about 30 to 34 degrees Celsius. They also reduce their metabolic rate by 75%, similar to what happens in rodents. Heiko Jansse studies hibernation in bears and hopes to learn about insulin resistance and the ability to lower metabolic rates, which could potentially be applied to human situations such as cancer treatment. By studying bear hibernation, Jansse focuses on understanding bear physiology, ecology, and wildlife preservation.

Hibernation for Interplanetary Journeys

Hibernation could be a solution to transport humans to Mars without carrying all the necessary food and oxygen. During hibernation, the metabolic rate drops significantly, and the body temperature is lowered, reducing the use of energy. Lowering the body temperature is already used in humans for surgeries and organ preservation. Once the genes and proteins that induce hibernation in animals are identified in humans, it could be feasible to induce hibernation in humans. However, it is unclear whether humans would want to hibernate for extended periods without a clear benefit.

Medical Applications of Inducing Hibernation

The ability to induce hibernation could have potential medical applications, such as halting the spread of terminal diseases until a cure is found. Unlike humans, bears do not suffer from cardiovascular problems, and they do not experience the loss of muscle mass despite being inactive for most of the day. Hibernation could also be used to help bedridden patients and astronauts who experience a loss of muscle mass.

Ethical Issues and Future Developments

The speaker acknowledges the ethical issues surrounding the use of tools to understand the molecular level of human transitions. However, they believe that by incorporating what is learned from animals, there is potential for great benefits. The process of taking this information to the next level will be difficult, and the development of these tools is still in its early stages.

Conclusion

In conclusion, inducing hibernation in humans is a concept that has potential benefits for interplanetary journeys, medical applications, and wildlife preservation. While it raises ethical concerns, studying bear hibernation provides insights into the physiological abilities that could be replicated in humans to induce hibernation. The development of these tools is still in its early stages, but the potential benefits are worth exploring further.