Science & Technology:

Hibernation inherent in all mammals?

There has been a development in biology I never expected. From MSNBC.com:

Scientists develop "hibernation on demand"
Technique could be used in hospitals to reduce fevers or buy time for organ transplants, researchers say

By Robert Roy Britt
Senior writer
Updated: 2:20 p.m. ET April 21, 2005

A new trick could one day put humans into hibernation without all the frigid antics of an Austin Powers movie or an Arthur C. Clarke story.

Using a natural chemical that humans and other animals produce in their bodies, scientists have for the first time induced hibernation in mammals, putting mice into a state similar to suspended animation for up to six hours and then bringing them back to normal life.

The breakthrough suggests that humans along with other mammals might harbor a mostly unused ability to hibernate on demand. Further research into the phenomenon could lead to medical advances, such as buying time for humans awaiting an organ transplant, scientists said.

"We are, in essence, temporarily converting mice from warm-blooded to cold-blooded creatures, which is exactly the same thing that happens naturally when mammals hibernate," said lead researcher Mark Roth of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

During the induced hibernation, cells virtually stopped working, reducing the rodents' need for oxygen.

"We think this may be a latent ability that all mammals have - potentially even humans - and we're just harnessing it and turning it on and off, inducing a state of hibernation on demand," Roth said.

The results are detailed in Friday's issue of the journal Science.

I truly hope this isn't something that ends up being found to be impractical in the end.

If we can truly induce hibernation, this could be huge.

Holy cow!!!

More later.