Mice put in ’suspended animation’
“Mice have been placed in a state of near suspended animation,
raising the possibility that hibernation could one day be induced in
humans.”
“In the latest study, Dr Roth and his colleagues 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.
Co-author Eric Blackstone said the next step would be to carry out studies in larger animals. ” Read more…
[Via bbc]
