Hibernating turtles don’t slip into a coma

Winterized red-eared sliders shut down their lungs but still respond to light

SURVIVING SHUTDOWN  Freshwater turtles like this red-eared slider hibernate in oxygen-poor waters in winter. Researchers thought they were in a nonresponsive coma, but they can still detect light, a study finds. 

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A chilled, hibernating turtle that hasn’t taken a breath for two weeks still notices light, a new lab study shows.