Life-Saving Lessons from Hibernating Ground Squirrels

A hibernating ground squirrel curled up in Matt Andrews' lab. (Credit: Laboratory of M.T. Andrews) In a large walk-in freezer at the University of Minnesota, ground squirrels are quietly slumbering in the dark. As the ground thaws this spring, a new crop of animals around the northern hemisphere will emerge from a long winter’s slumber. At the same time, squirrels in Matt Andrews’ lab at the University of Minnesota will be waking up from their own hibernation. Andrews studies these hibernating squirrels, and the science may have applications for the health and well-being of astronauts, soldiers and anyone wishing to shed a few pounds. He's spent decades investigating what happens inside the animals’ bodies as they lay quietly in cold temperatures. His lab is filled with walk-in refrigerators that hold animals at a constant temperature – about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. “You can induce hibernation in the lab just by simulating conditions of winter: turning off the lights, removing food and setting the temperature a few degrees above freezing. As long as the animals have sufficient body fat, they’ll start hibernating,” says Andrews.