Space travel breakthrough: New bat species found to potentially enable human hibernation in space missions
In a groundbreaking study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers have made a significant discovery about the differences between human and bat red blood cells. Led by Gerald Kerth, a zoologist at the University of Greifswald in Germany, the study sheds light on potential benefits of bat red blood cells that could pave the way for human torpor.
Kerth and his team collected blood samples from 35 wild noctule bats, Egyptian fruit bats, and humans. They amassed more than half a million red blood cells between the three species for comparison. New laboratory experiments revealed major differences in how these cells behave when it's cold.
At 50 degrees Fahrenheit, there was a greater ratio of thickness to stiffness in bat red blood cells compared to human red blood cells. This finding suggests that the tougher bat cells provide a benefit by staying in the lung capillaries and muscles for longer at low temperatures, potentially boosting oxygen uptake and distribution throughout the body.
This could be crucial for bats, as they change dramatically, allowing their bodies to optimize oxygen and survive cold weather. Interestingly, Egyptian fruit bats may have retained their cell adaptation from an ancestor, even though they no longer use it to hibernate.
The study is one of many small pieces of the puzzle on the way to human torpor, but many important questions remain unanswered. For instance, how to induce hibernation in humans and if a type of drug could instruct human cells to become thicker in proportion to their stiffness before going into a torpor.
Marcus Krüger, a molecular biologist researching space medicine, finds the study intriguing. He notes its implications for whether humans could enter a torpor state for prolonged periods, possibly with a better outcome than the astronauts in the Alien movie series.
The 21-month trip to Mars presents unique challenges, particularly keeping people healthy during such a long space voyage. One proposed solution to these challenges is hibernation. NASA plans to send astronauts to Mars by the 2030s, and understanding the secrets of bat red blood cells could bring us one step closer to making this a reality.
However, it's important to note that people cannot hibernate due to reasons such as inability to store enough fat, function at low energy levels, or survive a massive drop in body temperature. Nevertheless, the study opens up exciting possibilities for future research in this area.
Mikkael A. Sekeres, a hematologist, commends the study and its potential implications for human health. As we continue to explore the mysteries of nature, we may find answers that could revolutionize our understanding of human biology and space travel.
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