• by Sophie Kleber , February 11, 2010

Suspended animation: The ability of animals to slow down vital processes to almost no vital actions at all and remain in this state until processes are evoked to return to normal vital functionality.

In humans we have seen suspended animation when hit with extreme cold. Life processes in individuals have slowed down to undetectable pulse and heart beat and have come back to life when brought into the warm.

But we cannot actively reduce our metabolic rate to below base rate. Is there a way to evoke suspended animation?

Hydrogen sulfide. It is found in the human body (highest concentration in the brain), but is highly toxic and will kill humans. When humans are exposed to the chemical, they first fall into suspended animation. If re-evoked within 6 hours, they will be fine ever after (after six hours, they die).

What can you do with suspended animation? For example, seriously ill people could be put into hibernation until treatment is found... if we can do it, applications will come.