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We’ve all seen sci-fi movies where astronauts go into deep sleep for long space journeys, but how close are we to making that a reality? Neil deGrasse Tyson, Chuck Nice, and Gary OâReilly team up with Ryan Sprenger, Senior Research Scientist at Fauna Bio, to explore a question straight out of science fiction: can humans hibernate in space like animals do on Earth?
Ryan breaks down the science of hibernation and torpor, explaining how animals like bears and ground squirrels lower their metabolic rates to survive harsh conditions.
Learn how with the help of the NAIC grant, Ryan and Fauna Bio team Ashley Hermans, Tobias Niederwieser, Mark Boettger, and Adam Kohler, are creating the Space Torpor for Advanced Space Habitats (STASH) program, which aims to take steps towards making human hibernation a possibility for long-term space travel. Could unlocking the secrets of these animals help humans avoid muscle atrophy, radiation damage, and resource scarcity in space?
Discover the metabolic superpowers of hibernating animals. Could hibernating ground squirrels be an answer to diabetes and obesity? We also learn how hibernating animals resist muscle wasting and radiation exposure, abilities that could be crucial for space travel. How many calories does an animal in torpor use? Plus, what happens to your bodyâs waste products if you donât go to the bathroom for six months?
We tackle the practical questions: what would humans need to survive in hibernation? How would we wake up? How dangerous is waking up? Can gene therapy jump-start our journey into deep space slumber? Will we be using this on the eventual trip to Mars? Find out whatâs possible, whatâs still science fiction, and whether space travel might one day look like a long nap!
Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction: Hibernating in Space
02:20 – What is Torpor?
04:20 – Why Hibernate?
10:43 – Looking at Extreme Physiology
15:32 – Hibernating From Radiation
19:20 – Getting Humans to Hibernate to Mars
21:40 – Shutting Down the Body (And Staying Alive)
26:16 – How to Hibernate & How to Wake Up
34:18 – Combatting Muscle Atrophy
36:19 – What The Hibernation Pods Would Look Like
40:38 – Sending Hibernators to Space
42:48 – Closing Thoughts
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Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up!
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