One of the possible paths my book may take is to genetically modify humans to survive an extreme ice age (a "Snowball Earth"). There are quite a few amphibians, insects and fish that can survive freezing using a number of biological techniques. The Wood Frog, for example, can freeze 2/3 of its body and protect its tissues with cryoprotectants (glucose in this case) so the cells are not damaged. Many fish use "antifreeze proteins" to protect itself from freezing solid in below freezing waters, such as the Winter Flounder. In the case of a rapid onset ice age, natural selection would not be fast enough to turn humans able to survive outside in dramatically frigid temperatures. (As an aside, a genetic adaptation to survive extreme cold might come in handy for future astronauts!) To combine these characteristics into humans might involve creating some sort of hybrid or Cybrid. Freaky but very cool advances going on now!
Even if humans can find a way to make intelligent cybrids that are freeze tolerant, in the meantime, they need a way to survive in the cold before that new generation grows to adulthood (assuming that even happens). One way is through artificial heated skin or outfits.
There is a Fabrication Laboratory ("Faboratory") out of Purdue University working on some intelligent, flexible materials, sensory skins and stretchable sensors.
Definitely possibilities for my novel as well as for future generations!
