From: mk_thisisit
Hibernation, particularly at the cellular level, presents a fascinating area of scientific inquiry with potential applications for human longevity and space travel.
Cellular Hibernation: A Natural Strategy
Human cells can be subjected to hibernation, a process that limits energy consumption to survive periods of scarcity [00:00:02]. When cells are deprived of glucose, their primary energy source, they must drastically reduce their consumption of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy carrier [00:01:03]. Cells employ a unique strategy: they expel water from their interior and “chew” the inside, forming a gel [00:01:24]. In this gel-like state, the movement of molecules, such as ribosomes (which produce proteins and use a lot of energy), becomes difficult [00:01:35]. This gelling effectively halts movement within the cell, allowing it to survive [00:01:51].
Evolution of Hibernation
The ability of cells to enter this “cyber-hibernation” state is a result of natural selection [00:02:00]. Those cells that did not adopt such a strategy during periods of hunger perished, while genotypes capable of this behavior survived and passed on their traits [00:02:05]. This process is akin to “teaching” through repeated trials until a successful strategy emerges [00:02:21].
Distinguishing Hibernation from Freezing
True cellular hibernation is fundamentally different from freezing [00:03:00]. Freezing is destructive because water expands its volume when it freezes, damaging cell walls and effectively breaking cells [00:03:05]. Perfect hibernation, in contrast, involves stopping the movement of all atoms without causing structural damage [00:03:18].
Potential for Human Application
The concept of human hibernation is not merely a science fiction trope, as seen in works like the Three-Body Problem [00:04:00]. The gelling mechanism observed in hungry cells offers an “interesting path” towards achieving human hibernation [00:03:34]. While current experiments have kept cells in this state for 96 hours, the ambition is to extend this to years, opening possibilities for long-distance space travel [00:03:46].
Achieving human hibernation could also contribute to longevity. The ability to reverse the aging process is considered possible, as there is no fundamental law prohibiting the exchange of cell components or the purification of cells from accumulated “garbage” proteins [00:08:43]. Just as a car can have all its parts replaced to keep driving indefinitely, human cells could potentially be maintained indefinitely through such processes [00:09:07]. The accumulation of these non-functional proteins slows down cellular processes and impairs function, akin to household garbage accumulating and making a house unusable [00:21:01]. Cleaning cells of this “garbage” by dissolving aggregates could be a recipe for immortality [00:22:25].