The capability of inducing hypometabolism in cells and organs offers great promise for mission-planners designing long-duration spaceflight. But to many, the idea of subjecting humans to a severe hypo-metabolic state—hibernation—still belongs in the realms of science fiction. It is known there are some mammals capable of entering a severe hypo-metabolic state and returning to full function following arousal. The mechanisms by which these mammals achieve this have proven elusive, although it is understood that to enter such a state, a hibernation induction trigger (HIT) is required. Recently, the application of HITs has been applied to non-hibernating animals, enabling them to safely enter a hibernative state, and this success has prompted life scientists to suggest the same methodology can be applied to humans.