Aliens, ETs and UFOs > Outer Space

Sus-An

(1/1)

Devious Viper:
Scientists at the European Space Agency (Esa) are investigating the possibility of inducing hibernation-like states in astronauts sent on long trips to the outer planets such as Jupiter and Saturn.

In a recent study, researchers from the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle put mice in a chamber filled with air laced with 80 parts per million (ppm) of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) - the malodorous gas that gives rotten eggs their stink.

Hydrogen sulphide can be deadly in high concentrations. But it is also produced normally in humans and animals, and is believed to help regulate body temperature and metabolic activity.

They found that the mice stopped moving and appeared to lose consciousness within minutes of breathing the air and H2S mixture. The animals' breathing rates dropped from the normal 120 breaths per minute to less than 10 breaths per minute.

During exposure their metabolic rates dropped by an astonishing 90%, and their core body temperatures fell from 37C to as low as 11C.

After six hours' exposure to the mixture, the mice were given fresh air. Their metabolic rate and core body temperature returned to normal, and tests showed they had suffered no ill effects.

"The atmospheric approach to inducing torpor is a nice one because it would diffuse very quickly in the body and saves you having to administer something internally," explained Mark Ayre, of Esa's Advanced Concepts Team at Nordwijk in the Netherlands.

"We have been looking at suspended animation to cut consumables - food and water - on a journey that could take five years or longer. That is important because missions are driven by the mass of the spacecraft.

"The other thing is trying to avoid psychological problems. You can have people awake, in which case you need to keep them entertained. That means more volume and potentially a very large mass.

"Or you avoid all that by putting them to sleep."

Zak Roy Yoballa:
That has some potential!  I think there would have to be some kind of side effect though :? .

Navigation

[0] Message Index