Editing Suspended animation (section)

=== Human hibernation ===
{{Main|Therapeutic hypothermia}}

It has been suggested that bone lesions provide evidence of hibernation among the early human population whose remains have been retrieved at the [[Archaeological site of Atapuerca]]. In a paper published in the journal ''L'Anthropologie'', researchers [[Juan Luis Arsuaga|Juan-Luis Arsuaga]] and Antonis Bartsiokas point out that "primitive mammals and primates" like bush babies and lorises hibernate, which suggests that "the genetic basis and physiology for such a hypometabolism could be preserved in many mammalian species, including humans".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sullivan |first=R |date=2020 |title=Early humans may have hibernated |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/early-humans-hibernation-winter-atapuerca-spain-b1776824.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/early-humans-hibernation-winter-atapuerca-spain-b1776824.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |access-date=25 November 2021}} This article refers to Bartsiokas, A. & Arsuaga, J. (2020). ''Hibernation in hominins from Atapuerca, Spain half a million years ago''. [[L'Anthropologie]], Volume 124, Issue 5</ref>

Since the 1970s, [[deep hypothermic circulatory arrest|induced hypothermia]] has been performed for some [[heart surgery|open-heart surgeries]] as an alternative to [[heart-lung machine]]s. Hypothermia, however, provides only a limited amount of time in which to operate and there is a risk of tissue and brain damage for prolonged periods.

There are many research projects currently investigating how to achieve "induced [[hibernation]]" in humans.<ref>[http://www.livescience.com/health/050421_hibernation.html New Hibernation Technique might work on humans | LiveScience] at www.livescience.com</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080807172226/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article1845294.ece Race to be first to 'hibernate' human beings - Times Online] at www.timesonline.co.uk</ref> This ability to hibernate humans would be useful for a number of reasons, such as saving the lives of seriously ill or injured people by temporarily putting them in a state of hibernation until treatment can be given.

The primary focus of research for human hibernation is to reach a state of [[torpor]], defined as a gradual physiological inhibition to reduce oxygen demand and obtain energy conservation by hypometabolic behaviors altering biochemical processes. In previous studies, it was demonstrated that physiological and biochemical events could inhibit endogenous thermoregulation before the onset of hypothermia in a challenging process known as "estivation". This is indispensable to survive harsh environmental conditions, as seen in some amphibians and reptiles.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Is Human Hibernation Possible? |url=https://nature.berkeley.edu/garbelottoat/wp-content/uploads/lee2008-1.pdf |publisher=nature.berkeley.edu}}</ref>