{"id":132054,"date":"2024-12-01T08:11:41","date_gmt":"2024-12-01T01:11:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=132054"},"modified":"2024-12-01T08:11:41","modified_gmt":"2024-12-01T01:11:41","slug":"what-if-bat-blood-could-make-human-hibernation-for-interstellar-journeys-possible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=132054","title":{"rendered":"What If \u201cBat Blood\u201d Could Make Human Hibernation for Interstellar Journeys Possible?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The idea of human\u00a0<strong>hibernation<\/strong>\u00a0for long-duration space travel has always been a staple of science fiction, from\u00a0<em>2001: <\/em><strong><em>A Space Odyssey<\/em>\u00a0to\u00a0<em>Alien<\/em><\/strong>. But now, a new study offers a glimpse of hope that this dream could one day become reality. According to recent research, the key to\u00a0<strong>hibernation<\/strong>\u2014and by extension, the potential to make interstellar travel feasible\u2014might be hidden in the\u00a0<strong>blood<\/strong>\u00a0of\u00a0<strong>bats<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A New Scientific Breakthrough in Hibernation<\/h2>\n<p>For years, NASA has explored the possibility of\u00a0<strong>hibernating<\/strong>\u00a0humans for long space missions, particularly for travel beyond our solar system. While some options, like\u00a0<strong>generation ships<\/strong>\u00a0designed for multi-generational voyages, are in the theoretical stages, hibernation offers an alternative that could allow <a href=\"https:\/\/dailygalaxy.com\/2024\/11\/nasa-reveals-findings-on-astronauts-cognitive-health-after-months-in-space\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">astronauts<\/a> to survive the centuries-long journey. However, this technology remains out of reach due to our limited understanding of biological processes that govern hibernation.<\/p>\n<p>The latest research, conducted by\u00a0<strong>scientists from Greifswald University<\/strong>, sheds light on the\u00a0<strong>blood<\/strong>\u00a0of bats, revealing that\u00a0<strong>erythrocytes<\/strong>, or red blood cells, play a critical role in enabling these creatures to survive extreme cold during hibernation. As explained by\u00a0<strong>Popular Mechanics<\/strong>,<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>\u201cTheir research revealed that a type of red blood cell, called \u2018erythrocyte,\u2019 could play a key role in inducing hibernation.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Bat Blood Could Unlock Hibernation for Humans<\/h3>\n<p>In the study published in\u00a0<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.2405169121\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences<\/a><\/em>\u00a0(PNAS), the researchers examined\u00a0<strong>erythrocytes<\/strong>\u00a0from two species of\u00a0<strong>hibernating bats<\/strong>\u2014<strong>Nyctalus noctula<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>Rousettus aegyptiacus<\/strong>\u2014and compared them to human red blood cells. The findings were groundbreaking: as temperatures dropped, the bats\u2019 erythrocytes continued to function, adapting to the cold and maintaining their\u00a0<strong>elasticity<\/strong>. This ability is essential for\u00a0<strong>hibernation<\/strong>\u00a0because it allows the blood cells to continue circulating and supporting metabolism at lower temperatures. As\u00a0<strong>Gerald Kerth<\/strong>, the lead author of the study, explained,<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>\u201cPutting humans into a state of low temperature during an interstellar flight has advantages. We\u2019re not saying this will happen in the next three years, but it\u2019s an important first step.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In contrast, human\u00a0<strong>erythrocytes<\/strong>\u00a0become more\u00a0<strong>viscous<\/strong>\u00a0and less flexible as temperatures fall below normal body temperature, which could hinder proper circulation and prevent effective metabolic slowdown necessary for hibernation. The bats, however, managed to keep their red blood cells in a pliable state even at temperatures <strong>as low as 10\u00a0\u00b0C<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Could\u00a0<strong>Hibernation<\/strong>\u00a0Make Long-Term\u00a0<strong>Space Travel<\/strong>\u00a0Possible?<\/h2>\n<p>Imagine a spaceship with sleeping astronauts, preserved in a\u00a0<strong>hibernating state<\/strong>\u00a0for decades, or even centuries, with minimal life support. It\u2019s not as far-fetched as it seems. If scientists can replicate the unique\u00a0<strong>blood<\/strong>\u00a0properties of\u00a0<strong>bats<\/strong>, humans could potentially enter a metabolic state where\u00a0<strong>oxygen<\/strong>\u00a0consumption and energy needs are dramatically reduced. <\/p>\n<p>The implementation of <strong>hibernation technology<\/strong> would not only render <strong>long-distance <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailygalaxy.com\/2024\/11\/london-to-new-york-in-30-minutes-elon-musks-spacex-to-reduce-travel-time\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>space travel<\/strong> <\/a>a viable proposition, but would also serve to reduce the considerable financial and resource costs currently associated with such missions. The potential impact of hibernation technology on the future of space travel can be elucidated as follows:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Reduced resource consumption<\/strong>: With astronauts in\u00a0<strong>hibernation<\/strong>, the need for\u00a0<strong>food<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>water<\/strong>, and\u00a0<strong>oxygen<\/strong>\u00a0would be drastically minimized.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Efficient use of spacecraft<\/strong>: A hibernating crew would free up valuable space and reduce the weight of the spacecraft, making long missions more manageable.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Psychological benefits<\/strong>: Astronauts could avoid the mental strain of long-term isolation, as the state of\u00a0<strong>hibernation<\/strong>\u00a0would minimize their awareness of time passing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Road Ahead: From Bat Blood to Human Hibernation<\/h2>\n<p>Although the idea of human hibernation for space travel still seems distant, the study offers a\u00a0<strong>first step<\/strong>\u00a0toward realizing this dream. Researchers hope that understanding how bat erythrocytes can retain their functionality at lower temperatures might eventually lead to medical advances that could slow the human <strong>metabolism<\/strong> and make space travel across vast interstellar distances possible.<\/p>\n<p>In the immediate future, the practical applications of this research could be seen in medical fields, where\u00a0<strong>hibernation-like<\/strong>\u00a0treatments might be used for patients needing intensive care or facing long recovery periods. For space exploration, however, there is still a long way to go. As\u00a0<strong>Gerald Kerth<\/strong>\u00a0states,<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>\u201cWe are not suggesting this will happen in the next three years, but it is a very important first step.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>While we wait for this technology to catch up, we may still have to content ourselves with\u00a0<strong>science fiction<\/strong>\u2014dreaming of one day being able to sleep through the long winter or perhaps travel to far-flung planets while in a state of\u00a0<strong>hibernation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newscientist.com\/article\/2452774-morphing-red-blood-cells-help-bats-hibernate-and-we-could-do-it-too\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em><strong>New Scientist<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- CONTENT END 1 -->\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/dailygalaxy.com\/2024\/11\/what-if-bat-blood-could-make-human-hibernation-for-interstellar-journeys-possible\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The idea of human\u00a0hibernation\u00a0for long-duration space travel has always been a staple of science fiction, from\u00a02001: A Space Odyssey\u00a0to\u00a0Alien. But now, a new study offers a glimpse of hope that &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=132054\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8628],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-132054","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-science","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132054","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=132054"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132054\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=132054"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=132054"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=132054"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}