Sleeper Finding: Hormone key to hibernation?
A recently discovered hormone may play a major role in triggering and maintaining hibernation. The finding could shed light on this annual period of slumber, which largely remains a mystery even after decades of research.
Each year, species ranging from amphibians to rodents settle in for a long winter’s nap, which helps them conserve energy and other resources during harsh weather. Their body temperatures plummet to near freezing, and metabolisms slow.