Torpor-capable mammals extend lifespan through metabolic flexibility and coordinated organelle quality control

Ground squirrels, marmots, and thirteen-lined ground squirrels live longer than non-torpor mammals of similar size. They cycle between extreme metabolic states—hours of near-death metabolism followed by rapid rewarming—and do it without organ damage. The mechanism: a synchronized quality control program that clears damaged mitochondria and proteins during torpor.