Squirrels Survive When Humans Would Die

<p>Ahibernating ground squirrel wouldn&rsquo;t look like much, even if you could spot it. But curled into furry balls from October to April, these pint-sized mammals have genetic adaptations that could be applied to next-generation therapeutics for humans.</p> <p>When ground squirrels hibernate, which they do for about six months each year, their heart rates drop, and their only brain activity is that required for essential function &mdash; essentially, they&rsquo;re brain dead. But squirrels can survive periods of low oxygenation, or hypoxia, during massive, biweekly shifts in their body temperature. Those same conditions in a person would cause heart attacks, strokes, and even death. Yet, ground squirrels recover from these damaging episodes dozens of times each winter during hibernation.</p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/neodotlife/squirrels-survive-when-humans-would-die-f6a874419a5c"><strong>Visit Now</strong></a></p>