Still Waters Posted February 18, 2011 #1 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Astronauts could be able to survive long space missions by being artificially put into hibernation like black bears, scientists have claimed. Alaskan black bears hibernate for up to seven months a year, during which time they do not eat or drink, before waking up in virtually the same physical state they fell asleep in. By reducing their heart rate to only 14 beats per minute and slowing their metabolism by three quarters, the animals are able to remain healthy through their long period of inactivity. Now experts hope to develop methods of putting humans into a similar state, which could help astronauts survive long missions and lead to new ways of treating severely ill patients, Read more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~TheBigK~ Posted February 18, 2011 #2 Share Posted February 18, 2011 That's really neat, I wonder if we'll ever be able to pull it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fluffybunny Posted February 18, 2011 #3 Share Posted February 18, 2011 I saw a documentary on bears a while back. I wonder if the astronauts would have to take a bunch of picnic baskets with them to live off of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booNyzarC Posted February 19, 2011 #4 Share Posted February 19, 2011 And yet all this hibernation doesn't seem to extend the lifespan of the black bear, something I've always thought odd if we were honestly considering such a technique for extended space trips like this. Black bears live somewhere between 18 and 30 years, if I'm not mistaken. So if we did somehow find a way to induce human hibernation would we actually live longer? I'd say... probably not. So the round trip distance for extended space travel would probably still rely on propulsion technologies moreso than something like this. Or am I looking at it all wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
:PsYKoTiC:BeHAvIoR: Posted February 19, 2011 #5 Share Posted February 19, 2011 I wonder if the astronauts would have to take a bunch of picnic baskets with them to live off of? That depends. Are astronauts smarter than the average human? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prab Posted February 19, 2011 #6 Share Posted February 19, 2011 LOL, so what's new here? My grandfather used to hibernate for 15 to 18 hours a day! LOL!! And what about the muscles? Won't the muscles be degraded? in the space it's much greater risk than it is on Earth due to the fact that there is no gravity up there, I would rather inject someone with something that would make him go hibernate for a long time, I find it more easy! LOL!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~TheBigK~ Posted February 19, 2011 #7 Share Posted February 19, 2011 (edited) And what about the muscles? Won't the muscles be degraded? in the space it's much greater risk than it is on Earth due to the fact that there is no gravity up there, That's what I was wondering as well. Technically to get an accurate idea, wouldn't they have to study bears hibernating in space? Edited February 19, 2011 by ~TheBigK~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Posted February 20, 2011 #8 Share Posted February 20, 2011 Like a bear really? Tappen and all? 'Astronauts could hibernate' would be a better title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarChild 83 Posted February 20, 2011 #9 Share Posted February 20, 2011 so they gotta eat a lotta grass to plug up their poop hole like bears do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmic2012 Posted February 21, 2011 #10 Share Posted February 21, 2011 (edited) Oh the witty banter. What has happened to intelligent discourse? If you don't like titles, write the articles yourselves and we'll judge you. I see at least one complaint about titles on almost every article now. Edited February 21, 2011 by Cosmic2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StoneSmasher Posted February 21, 2011 #11 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Well, if you don't eat that is less food to bring with you. If your metabolism slows by 3/4 that would reduce the demand on your C02 scrubbers. Even if it did not extand lifespan, it would make logistics easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quillius Posted February 21, 2011 #12 Share Posted February 21, 2011 And yet all this hibernation doesn't seem to extend the lifespan of the black bear, something I've always thought odd if we were honestly considering such a technique for extended space trips like this. Black bears live somewhere between 18 and 30 years, if I'm not mistaken. So if we did somehow find a way to induce human hibernation would we actually live longer? I'd say... probably not. So the round trip distance for extended space travel would probably still rely on propulsion technologies moreso than something like this. Or am I looking at it all wrong? if you are then I am also....similar lines of thinking here Boon, I cant understand what advantage this would give astronauts? different if they could hibernate for 150 years or something a little more extreme...but I am truely lost as to what advanatge this would give our astronauts??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muenzenhamster Posted March 1, 2011 #13 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Boonyzarc- I don't believe we've ever had the luxury of testing a non-hibernating bear to see if they do live shorter lives than those that hibernate. I may be wrong, don't they all hibernate? Perhaps not in climate controlled captivity. If that's the case, then never mind my unknowledgeable dribble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeptic Chicken Posted March 3, 2011 #14 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Like in James Cameron's Avatar. Just, we need to learn how the heck they managed to pull off a 25 year or so journey without anyone becoming seriously ill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S2F Posted March 3, 2011 #15 Share Posted March 3, 2011 if you are then I am also....similar lines of thinking here Boon, I cant understand what advantage this would give astronauts? different if they could hibernate for 150 years or something a little more extreme...but I am truely lost as to what advanatge this would give our astronauts??? Less payload for one, I would imagine. With space travel, that's always a bonus. Plus I would rather sail the sea for twenty years straight than spend that long in a tiny capsule (or whatever size ship) with nothing to do but play solitary or minesweeper. I would go insane after about 6 months! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quillius Posted March 3, 2011 #16 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Less payload for one, I would imagine. With space travel, that's always a bonus. Plus I would rather sail the sea for twenty years straight than spend that long in a tiny capsule (or whatever size ship) with nothing to do but play solitary or minesweeper. I would go insane after about 6 months! Hi S2F, not sure if the payload would make that big a difference but I could easily be mistaken as I lack any knowledge in that department. With regards to the second point, very valid, never actually thought of that......at least you would come back minesweeper champ!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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