# what if humans became cold blooded
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-humans-became-cold-blooded/748607
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
**Created:** [March 11, 2016, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-humans-became-cold-blooded/748607 "2016-03-11T02:03:23Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2016, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-humans-became-cold-blooded/748607/1 "2016-03-11T02:03:23Z")
> **[What if humans became cold-blooded?](https://www.straightdope.com/21344366/what-if-humans-became-cold-blooded)**
Cecil mentions hibernation but overlooks a more immediately useful aspect of ectothermy in space: reduced food and oxygen requirements. In space vessels and stations the temperature has to be controlled 100% artificially anyway, and waste heat is something you usually worry about how to throw away. Staying warm by burning calories is wasteful compared to just keeping the cabin temperature in the high 90’s.
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### Author:  [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2016, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-humans-became-cold-blooded/748607/2 "2016-03-11T14:17:17Z")
“…time flies when you’re torpid.”
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### Author:  [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2016, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-humans-became-cold-blooded/748607/3 "2016-03-11T14:23:28Z")
From the phrase “…try convincing me Vladimir Putin doesn’t have at least **a little reptile in him.** ” Because if there’s anything Putin doesn’t need, it’s a small iguana stuffed up his putin.
And for your version of the mental image, you’re welcome.
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### Author:  [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2016, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-humans-became-cold-blooded/748607/4 "2016-03-11T21:56:01Z")
I’m pretty sure the astronaut’s body heat is the least of the waste heat most space craft have to deal with, so you’d still have to shed the heat from the equipment for the sake of the equipment and astronauts.
So, at best, you’ve reduced the heat that needs to be shed a little bit at peak (but certainly not enough to significantly change engineering considerations), and you’ve made temperature control of the crew area more complicated since you need to constantly adjust it to match the astronauts’ intended activity levels.
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### Author:  [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2016, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-humans-became-cold-blooded/748607/5 "2016-03-11T22:28:03Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#):
>
> , and you’ve made temperature control of the crew area more complicated since you need to constantly adjust it to match the astronauts’ intended activity levels.
I imagine the temperature would be kept a bit below standard body heat, with electrically heated body suits making up the difference.
Maybe that’s why all those '50s pulp SF magazines always show people in space wearing these form-fitting body suits. 🙂
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### Author:  [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2016, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-humans-became-cold-blooded/748607/6 "2016-03-11T23:50:34Z")
Would that much change in my household? It is already temperature controlled. I’d have to be a bit more aggressive on maintaining a constant appropriate value. X-country skiing might be out as well as most other winter or ocean based activities. The heated suits mentioned above will help out in those activities though.
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### Author:  [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2016, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-humans-became-cold-blooded/748607/7 "2016-03-12T00:44:37Z")
Trump would win in a landslide.
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### Author:  [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2016, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-humans-became-cold-blooded/748607/8 "2016-03-17T06:19:04Z")
Sure wouldn’t be anyone writing any Foreigner songs.
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### Author:  [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2016, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-humans-became-cold-blooded/748607/9 "2016-03-18T03:06:21Z")
> [@Lumpy](#):
>
> Maybe that’s why all those '50s pulp SF magazines always show people in space wearing these form-fitting body suits. 🙂
Maybe, but it was partly serious speculation about the technology that would be needed to control body decompression. As late as the late 60s—maybe later—NASA was still studying the option.
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### Author:  [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2016, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-humans-became-cold-blooded/748607/10 "2016-03-18T22:13:31Z")
Last I heard, there was still an ongoing project for a non-pressurized space suit that basically consists of form fitting material. Though come to think of it, that was maybe five years ago, and the federal budget crunch might have ended it.