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Astronauts might sleep their way to the stars.

 European Space Agency (ESA) staff are planning future research into the possibility of inducing a hibernation-like state in humans.ESA believes hibernation would help astronauts to cope with the psychological demands of decades-long return journeys to destinations such as Saturn. And because less space and food would be needed on such missions, the spacecraft would be lighter and easier to launch.

Inquiry centres on DADLE (D-Ala,D-Leu-enkephalin), a substance with opium-like properties. An injection of DADLE is known to trigger hibernation in ground squirrels during the summer season, when the animals would normally be awake. It also seems to send cultures of human cells to sleep: the cells divide more slowly and their gene activity drops when the molecule is applied.

Researchers are following up other leads too. One downside of hibernation is that it leads to loss of muscle strength, a problem that also afflicts patients confined to bed after an operation. Such bedridden patients retain more strength if they receive dobutamine, a drug used to boost the strength of heart muscles, so a similar treatment might work during hibernation.

But practical hibernation mechanisms are at least a decade away.

posted by: kyawoo at 21:02 | link | comments (4) |
space science

Comments:

#1  17 January 2005 - 13:39

 

The ESA has been conducting sleep-for-space research for several years now. I remember they put out a call for volunteer subjects about 6 years ago; I looked at it, they said they were accepting only EU citizens.

Anonymous

#2  18 January 2005 - 03:57

 

Sleeping for ten years? That's horrible!

Anonymous

#3  18 January 2005 - 10:27

 

Interesting post - where did you hear about this?

Anonymous

#4  18 January 2005 - 19:42

 

The scary idea is to wonder if the same could be applied during long periods of unemployment or famine.

LibertyBob

Anonymous

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