Hibernation Hitting the Winter Pause Button
The edible doormouse sleeps for half of the year.
Among primates, to which humans belong, some species are already known for their hibernation behavior, including lemurs, which even hibernate in the warm climate of Madagascar.
In winter, the brown bear goes back into his hole, sleeps and survives on its reserves.
If there is a lack of nectar-filled blossoms, the hummingbird goes into hibernation.
During its hibernation phase, the groundhog requires no more energy than a luminous diode.
The temperature in the flanks of deer can drop to 15°C (59°F), and researchers even recorded temperatures as low as 3°C (37°F) in the animals' extremities.
Hibernation expert Gerhard Heldmaier of Germany's University of Marburg: "Winter sleep is far more common than previously assumed, and by no means limited to winter or to mammals."
A sleeping woman: Can human beings also put their bodies into standby mode?
