During hibernation the heart of a bear on each exhalation stops for 15-20 seconds.

At the Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, USA, were taken unprecedented detailed study of black bears winter sleep, or baribalov (Ursus americanus), reports the BBC. Made with the discovery of the ability to make a revolution in medicine.

Subjects Bears literally came to the scientists themselves: five bears were captured near human settlements in Alaska, where they wandered, apparently in search of food. Shatunov issledovatelky taken to the center at the university, where they have constructed artificial "den", stuffed with all kinds of equipment: cameras, motion sensors, the meter pulse and body temperature. Satisfied baribaly sat on the side, and zoologists began to take readings from the instruments. The results were startling.

It was found that the rate of metabolism of sleeping bears reduced by ¾ - much more than scientists previously thought. Interestingly, such a "power saving mode" is maintained for several weeks after awakening. Further, breathing during sleep bears slowed so that exhale their heart and not simply stops beating, 10, 15, or even 20 seconds.

Similar phenomena have been observed previously in rodents, but until now it was thought that for such large animals like bears, it's impossible. If the secrets of bear hibernation, scientists will be able to open up and learn to do the same with the human body, it can lead to a breakthrough in space and extreme medicine. "Thus slowing metabolism seriously wounded people, we will gain time to assist them. I think therein lies a great potential ", - said Brian Barnes (Brian Barnes), lead author of the study.

Source: www.vokrugsveta.ru

via factroom.ru