Many of us slow down during the colder months, nights in front of the telly, weekends curled up with a book.
But what if we could skip them altogether,. do as our woodland creatures do and take a long, rejuvenating nap in preparation for the summer?
That may be the stuff of science fiction but scientists are now lookings closely at whether humans could in fact hibernate .. not for pleasure, but for use to travel to other planets.
Comparative physiologist, Tony Hickey of Auckland University is our expert today - he's here to tell us exactly how hibernation works... and how it could be the key to space travel.
Hibernating Chipmunk Photo: Flickr/Michael Himbeault
