The secrets of future space travel hibernation come from squirrels

The connection may seem far-fetched, but a big boost for future space exploration could come from squirrels, specifically from those that sleep through winter: they are revealing the secrets of hibernation, which could help astronauts in long-duration missions, but which also opens the way to very innovative medical therapies such as treatment for patients who have suffered a heart attack or stroke. The advances in this field come from the Alaska Space Grant Consortium program, funded by NASA and conducted in Alaska, where researchers led by Kelly Drew are studying Arctic ground squirrels, amongst the most incredible of animals when it comes to hibernation. In the coldest season the Arctic Ground Squirrels (Urocitellus parryii) lie dormant for eight to nine months a year without eating, entering a real state of hibernation that drops body temperature to as low as -3 degrees Celsius.

Despite that, these animals manage to avoid the side effects usually associated with such an extreme slowdown in metabolism, such as frostbite, muscle loss and reduced bone density: just the threats that astronauts face when they are exposed to zero gravity for prolonged times. Researchers are now trying to understand the mechanisms behind this extraordinary ability, which seems to include the recycling of nutrients within the body, in order to apply them in other areas. From space exploration, helping to deal with the so-called 'astronaut fever' (which raises the body temperature of those in space by one degree), to applications in the medical field. For example, patients affected by a stroke or an heart attack could be put in a state of hibernation waiting to be taken to hospital, a procedure that could greatly improve the results of later cures.