https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/hibernating-squirrels-and-the-government-shutdown/

Winter, when the days are dark and short, is the time of year when the ground squirrels lying dormant in my lab provide us with our most valuable lessons. The animals spend the chilly months oblivious to the world around them, bedded down in woodchip–filled plastic crates that are stored inside a temperature-controlled cold room. The group I lead at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studies hibernation. This remarkable ability evolved to give the squirrels and other animals a leg up in life, a chance to survive difficult times when resources are scarce.

Knowing the secrets of how some mammals alter their metabolism to ratchet down heart rate and breathing to go months without food or water may help us discover new strategies for helping people who suffer heart attacks, stroke or a massive loss of blood. The inventions of nature, including hibernation, offer insights, ideas and strategies that, if we can figure them out, can give us humans a leg up in life, too, improving our health, quality of life, and ability to use the resources at our disposal wisely.