3 replies to this topic

[Centurion]

A Japanese man has survived for 24 days in cold weather and without food and water by falling into a state of "hibernation", his doctor has said.

Link!

[bgwowk]

The temperature he finally settled at (around +20 degC) may have been the key; cold enough to suppress brain activity and shivering, but just warm enough to avoid causing cardiac arrest and still allow some metabolic housekeeping. Although it's hard to interpret popular press anecdotes, it still looks like he ended up awfully sick, as one would expect.

[sjvan]

Also, I suspect that he did not spend the entire 3 weeks or so in that state, despite the fact that his last memory was from then. I think it is likely that they lucked into finding him only a few hours after he became that hypothermic. Retrograde amnesia from that sort of trauma would not be terribly unusual, nor would lying to cover being on a drinking bing or some such.

If, on the other hand, they find evidence other than his self reported memory that he spent weeks in that state, it would be a remarkable and important discovery.

[Centurion]

Thank you for the much needed pinch of salt sjvan.
Even the BBC can be employ a little implicit sensationalism when it wants to.