Facultative hibernation occurs only when the animal faces cold or food stress. Obligate hibernation refers to the situation when a species enters hibernation annually and spontaneously, regardless of the outdoor conditions of temperature and food. Hibernation itself is divided into two categories. There is some speculation that these two conditions actually lie along a single spectrum. Indeed, NASA already is studying the use of hypothermia as a tool for an upcoming Mars mission.ĭifferent mammals utilize one of two techniques to counter harsh environments - torpor and hibernation. Hypothermia is also used as a medical technique to save patients with severe medical complications such as shock and traumatic injuries. There are many recorded cases of people trapped in low temperature conditions for periods of time who were successfully re-warmed. Until we can conquer the limitations of space travel where lifetimes would be consumed in the journey to nearby solar systems, we have to create completely self-sufficient speeding miniature worlds or crews in suspended animation. Hibernation has caught the public’s imagination again through science-fiction. What of animals that either cannot or do not move to avoid difficult climate conditions as diverse as severe cold, drought or severe heat coupled with lack of water?
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