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Q&A

What is the longest something could hibernate?

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I'm my previous question I asked about the longevity of caves, now I'd like to figure out the longevity of the cave dwellers. Specifically, I'd like to put some bounds on how long they can hibernate.

Assuming these cave dwellers are not typical life as we know it (things like DNA and microscopic cells are optional), what biological traits could allow for them to hibernate for extremely long periods of time? Is it plausible for them to enter a dormant state that can survive being frozen or dessicated for millennia, or even geological time scales, only to become active again when thawed out hydrated? What biological traits would encourage that kind of resiliency when frozen?

I'm primarily interested in biological traits, either elvolved or genetically engineered, that would allow this longevity, however cultural and technical solutions (say some sort of enforced cryogenic or vitrification process) could work too.

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This post was sourced from https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/q/78198. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

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