h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Do you think it would be possible to make humans go into hibernation? Using liquid helium for example to instantly freeze them for their journey to the stars.

college is kind of like hibernation. all most people do while at college is sleep (although many times this is alcohol induced). the only time you get up and leave your room is to eat. it would be a lot easier if you didnt have to do that either... maybe with some evolution...

As of the 28th of July 2000, this page on hibernation was in the 'top' five least visited pages...

Truly in hibernation...

* Despite it being a cracking article, mind... *

- Simply, High Spirited.

Surely, it wiil be possible soon, but the way you supposed is quite unhealthy.Before freezing, the body must go under some preparation. Something like filling up with glicerin.It is to prevent the cells from being destroyed by the little ice crystals forming in them.

Yeah, today's newly approved guide entry, "Animals that freeze solid," talks about that very subject.

why would you want to go to other stars? using todays flight methods, all of humanity would be long dead by the time you got there. (unless they all hibernate through nuclear winter)

You could eat your own leg, I've often found that convenient and tasty...

Arms are much tastier than legs. So I am told. Personally I prefer scampi & chips

But legs are so much more convenient, and it doesn't matter if you eat more cos they're bigger!

WELL getting Back to the subject. Humans (if they survive) will one day strive to reach the stars. they are after all our birthplace. BUT humans will also want to find other inteligent life forms (Like us Altairians) and share knowledge with them. i personaly think that the civilisation originating from Sirus would love to see humans again. they have allredy visited the Dogon (can n e 1 verify the name?) tribe in africa. And the peoples of SK-69deg202 would be very interested in a place to live. Incidently there are three types of supernova. 1 the white dwarf binary system. 2 the blue star that creates an iron core. and 3 industrial accidents when the local civilisation attempts to gain vacuum energy and the release is enough to trigger a supernova. (there is also technicly a fourth. sabotage)
Hibernation would allow human kind to live to the stars. however they might discover Hyperspeed before the need of hibernation.

Hyperspeed, eh?
not warp speed?
but I'm with you...freeze 'em & ship 'em out, like the convicts sent to Australia...
OK, who would want to go?
Considering you'd have to take life-support equipment in case you never found another hospitable planet, I mean there's no guarantee, is there? Just becauise there are billions of stars, there may only be one which suits bi-pedal air-breathers...
Great discussion, btw.

Well there is a simple answer to that. before the Colony ship is sent off for the stars you give it enough fuel to make a return journey. if it gets to a star system and finds out that there is no hospitible planets. it has three options. 1 terraform a planet in that system. 2 turn around and go home (be frozen for another few hundred years) or three set off for another system in the hope that there will be another Earth like planet. (try the Tau Ceti system, My home). There is one problem with the 2nd option. will there be an Earth to return to? this is just a hypothetical situation but if they get back and Earth is still 'alive' then the civilisation will have advanced by several hundred years and the colonists could die of culture shock. (N e 1 ever read Athur C Clarke's 3001?) for the 3rd and 2nd options fuel isnt a problem if it is hydrogen powered. What is the majority of G-type stars composition? hydrogen. of course we can only take this course of action if certern technologies are invented one being successfull cryogenic storage and revival of humans. and another would be fusion. btw sorry about n e spellings.

Well there is a simple answer to that. before the Colony ship is sent off for the stars you give it enough fuel to make a return journey. if it gets to a star system and finds out that there is no hospitible planets. it has three options. 1 terraform a planet in that system. 2 turn around and go home (be frozen for another few hundred years) or three set off for another system in the hope that there will be another Earth like planet. (try the Tau Ceti system, My home). There is one problem with the 2nd option. will there be an Earth to return to? this is just a hypothetical situation but if they get back and Earth is still 'alive' then the civilisation will have advanced by several hundred years and the colonists could die of culture shock. (N e 1 ever read Athur C Clarke's 3001?) for the 3rd and 2nd options fuel isnt a problem if it is hydrogen powered. What is the majority of G-type stars composition? hydrogen. of course we can only take this course of action if certern technologies are invented one being successfull cryogenic storage and revival of humans. and another would be fusion. btw sorry about n e spellings.