Yet they’re still alive."
Gracheva identified the subfornical organ (SFO) in the brain as a regulator for thirst survival, noting that this brain area also exists in humans.
Developing Synthetic Torpor for Humans
Scientists are experimenting with drugs, ultrasound, and noninvasive techniques to induce synthetic torpor in non-hibernating species.
Biochemist Kelly Drew from the University of Alaska has spent over two decades studying arctic ground squirrels, focusing on how they protect vital organs at sub-freezing temperatures.
>>> Report Details Widespread Misuse of Crowd Control Weapons in US Protests
"It is definitely feasible," says Drew.
Researchers like Matteo Cerri of the University of Bologna and Siniša Hrvatin of MIT have successfully triggered torpor in animals by targeting specific brain regions.
Since 2023, noninvasive ultrasound has been used to trigger synthetic torpor in animals, and human trials using this method are expected to begin soon.
In a study published last year, University of Pittsburgh researcher Clifton Callaway used the sedative dexmedetomidine on healthy humans, achieving a 20% metabolic reduction.
"A trip to Mars is going to require something like 300kg of food per astronaut, there and back," he says.
"If you can reduce that by a quarter or more, that can add up."
Applications in Earth Medicine
The medical potential of synthetic torpor extends to treating illnesses on Earth, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and cardiac emergencies.
Researchers from the University of Groningen isolated a molecule called SUL-138 from Syrian hamsters, which has entered a small human trial for Parkinson's disease.
"The sky is the limit," Henning says. "When I talk to my medical colleagues, I always say: ‘What is your problem?
I’ll solve it with hibernation.’"
Synthetic torpor could also improve emergency medicine for heart attacks and strokes, offering a safer alternative to therapeutic hypothermia without inducing shivering.
While experts like Matteo Cerri believe human applications could happen in 10 to 15 years, others like Christiane Hahn expect it to take several decades.
>>> Government Concealing Identity Cannot Demand Trust or Obedience
"Inducing torpor is fairly well understood," she says.
