If you can plunge a person into suspended animation?
Source:You May not know this, but bears are not the only animals that can hibernate. Different species of squirrels, bats and even some birds can lower their body temperature, immersing themselves in a dormant state for weeks or even months. It is possible that people one day will join them. At least according to engineers from NASA, there is no reason why it would be impossible. The interest of researchers and space agencies in this topic is explained very simply – long hibernation like some animals, you may help future astronauts to overcome the big cosmic distances, for instance, a trip to Mars. However, the immersion of a person in suspended animation – a temporary slowing or cessation of vital processes in the body – can be a real breakthrough in medicine because it allows doctors to enter in a state of suspended animation seriously wounded patients. It will help to gain time for operations and will help to save many lives. But even despite the fact that scientists do not believe the introduction of the man in stasis is impossible, they still have to figure out how to do it. But how?
why the need For suspended animation?
The world is not so little animals – usually it is the mammals which hibernate for a long time to survive the harsh winter. This is possible as the animals slow heart rate to a few beats per minute. In this state they do not need food and water and survive for several months to help them fat stores. In addition to bears this possibility is neglected rodents and even primates, including tolstolistnogo dwarf lemur from Madagascar. Agree, we're not that far from primates in the family tree, so if they did that, maybe we have.
In fact, medicine has achieved some success in this area. So, thanks to a special technology – therapeutic hypothermia – which lowers the body temperature by a few degrees to increase the chances of surviving heart attacks and strokes. To lower the temperature of the body doctors use, and even tried to enter into the blood chilled physiological solution. The fact that at low temperature in humans, metabolism slows down and he falls into unconsciousness. However, the problem lies in the fact that the patient died during the procedure, and between the unconscious state and death a very fine line. Read more about how doctors for the first time in history , read a fascinating article by my colleague Vladimir Kuznetsov.
Who would have thought that these amazing primates can hibernate?
However , the results were pretty amazing: people were in a state of torpor for up to 14 days, passing through several cycles. Therapeutic use of this condition is still in the research stage. In the future it will help to know whether it is useful for patients with cardiovascular disease or even progressive illness (cancer). Scientists also intend to ascertain whether there are any side effects or complications of this procedure, but at the moment no long-term problems were not detected.
For this reason, a few years ago about how you can use therapeutic hypothermia for prolonged space flight within the Solar system. Let me remind you that according to the experts, the journey to Mars will take about 6-9 months. Throughout this time, will spend precious air, water and food. And in a state of suspended animation, according to estimates SpaceWorks, the crew will reduce the metabolic rate by 50% -70%. The lower the metabolic rate, the less resources spent. This means that the goods that you want to send to Mars, will also be less. Moreover, astronauts will not have to move, so they can be immersed in a small and cozy capsule for the duration of the journey. Just like in sci-Fi movies about space.
However, the dip astronauts in suspended animation is not the only or the main problem of space travel. We know that weightlessness has a negative impact on the body, leading to bone loss and muscle atrophy. To avoid this, the cosmonauts and astronauts are daily engaged in physical exercises for several hours a day since it allows you to counteract the negative effects of reduced gravity. Another, and perhaps the main problem of the future of space travel is space radiation. Its effects on the body – particularly the brain, has a most destructive influence on health. Read more about this in one of our materials that . But is it possible to immerse the person in a long suspended animation for years or even centuries?
how Real is cryogenic freezing?
Despite the ease with which the protagonist of the animated series «Futurama» appeared in the year 3000, once in a cryogenic chamber, we have no technology that would allow for as long to support vital body functions. We know that microbes can remain in a frozen state for hundreds of years. Moreover, melting permafrost awakens not only the ancient microbes, but viruses and even plants. However, we, like our ancestors, are not capable of something like that. All because when we freeze in our cells are formed by ice crystals, which destroy them. However, there is a whole area of research that gives you hope, it's called cryogenics. During this procedure, fluids of the human body replace antifreeze, which does not affect the body's cells damaging effects.
So, the scientists were able , and then thaw a 50-ml (almost a quarter of a Cup) of human tissue without any damage. In the next few years we will probably see how this technology develops in the preservation of organs for transplantation and ultimately whole bodies, and maybe live people. In this case, all sci-Fi ideas can become a reality.
a scene from the legendary film «Foreign» with the stunning Sigourney weaver in the lead role
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