The world in general, and Canada in particular, recently welcomed Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield's safe return home after a five month stint as commander of the International Space Station, a research laboratory orbiting nearly 400 kilometres above our planet.
During his time in space, Chris Hadfield entertained and educated us with everything from guided tours of the Space Station, to tele-linked musical performances of astounding clarity. Just as Pavarotti strove to remove the elitism and bring opera to the masses, so has Commander Hadfield brought a new realization and appreciation of space into our collective consciousness. He has been a remarkable ambassador of space travel, and as Canadians we can be very proud of him.
That space travel will continue is indisputable as we delve deeper and deeper into space to explore its mysteries. While the distances covered so far are staggering beyond belief, even farther distances face future space pioneers. Distances so great that astronauts will have to be in a state of suspended animation to endure them, a condition much like the hibernating state that our local black bears enter into every winter.
Ongoing scientific research into bear hibernation has revealed the discovery of two genes that are thought to trigger hibernation. These genes direct enzymes to burn fat rather than carbohydrates, thereby equipping the body for hibernation. During this dormant period the bear neither urinates nor defecates, a potentially dangerous situation that is automatically countered by the nitrogen waste being biochemically recycled back into protein. The release of a special hormone (leptin) into the bear's system suppresses appetite, and the heart rate lowers from its usual 6090 beats per minute to a shallow eight-40 beats per minute, and breathing slows to approximately one breath every 45 seconds. Blood flow to the animal's extremities is reduced by 45 per cent, yet remains higher at the head and torso to maintain brain function for care of newborn cubs, and survival instincts.
These and other sophisticated adaptations the bear's system undergoes in hibernation are being studied by scientists for possible answers, not only to the problems facing future space travel, but also medical problems here on earth such as human kidney disease, gallstones, obesity, anorexia nervosa and other problems.
As we watch in wonder the experiences of Chris Hadfield, and the astonishing complexities of space travel, it's interesting to reflect how our fence-wrecking, garbage-foraging neighbour, the black bear, is contributing so greatly, not only to our medical health, but potentially even space travel. Truly from one extreme to the other.
Mick Webb, North Vancouver
