Cryonics

Aging is the problem! We will eventually cease to exist on earth, except as a memory or possibly as a spirit. Aging can be slowed down by reducing the body's temperature. Aging can almost be stopped at -321 degrees. In fact, at that temperature it would take about 30 trillion years to age 1 second. This is suspended animation accomplished by keeping the body submerged in liquid nitrogen.

Here's the deal: Prior to death you contact a cryogenics establishment such as the Cryonics Institute (24355 Sorrentino Court; Clinton Township, MI 48035; Phone 1-586-791-5961 Fax 1-586-792-7062. They will be able to make the arrangements for your body to be cryonically suspended.

From the Cryonics Institute: "Cryonics isn't fiction. It's based on science -- an emerging science, the logical conclusion to a growing accumulation of hard scientific facts.

"Such as?

The fact that several types of living creatures have been already frozen to liquid nitrogen temperature and below, where they exhibited no signs of life and experienced no signs of decay -- and were then restored to functioning normal life.
The fact that human tissues, including brain tissue and sperm and even human embryos, have also been cooled on literally thousands of occasions to a seemingly non-living state, and have been again restored to life.
The fact that scientific procedures for the avoidance of freezing damage (through a process called vitrification) and for the repair of freezing damage (through nanotechnological cell repair) have been developed in theory and are even now being developed in practice.
The fact that research which could contribute to making cryonics a reality is even now being funded in the millions and even (in the case of nanotechnology) in the billions of dollars world-wide.
The fact that increasing numbers of reputable and respected mainstream scientists have not only flatly stated that cryonics can work, but have even signed up to receive cryonics services themselves.
The fact that cryonics organizations like CI not only exist in the real world today, but have shown themselves able to keep patients safely in cryostasis for decades.
True, reversible cryonic suspension for adult human beings is not here today. Only the very tiniest human embryos put into cryostasis have been restored. But the technology applicable to eventual recovery of people now in cryonic suspension is growing. And if and when that technology comes into being, it might just possibly save your life, and the lives of people you care about.

"The first human being to successfully emerge from cryonic suspension is arguably one John Brooks, who was removed from his mother's womb and suspended in liquid nitrogen for two months, after which he was carefully thawed, placed in his mother's womb again, and emerged -- eleven months after being conceived -- a completely healthy and normal child.

"Thousands of embryos have been successfully frozen since. Indeed, in one case, a human embryo was frozen at liquid nitrogen temperature for seven full years - and then brought to term, and is now a healthy young child. "

It is best if a person wanting to be cryonically suspended prepares for it ahead of time. If you become a lifetime member of the Cryonics Institute for $1250, they will provide assistance with the process. At the time of death it will be necessary to pay them $28,000 to maintain your body in suspension at their facility. Here are some of their options:

"Well, if you become terminally ill or have any advance warning, then we strongly urge that you relocate near CI headquarters in Michigan, where we have a cooperating hospice. That is the ideal scenario: our most experienced people will be right there on hand, and can give you our best possible care immediately and with no unnecessary and potentially destructive delays. This is the best possible path to a good suspension.

"The second best,if you become ill and can prepare, is to notify us so that arrangements can be made in advance at your location. We will help you do so.

"If you live (or die) at a considerable distance or have a fatal accident, your doctor, or the person who reads your medical bracelet or wallet card, or whoever you've designated to contact us in case of a health emergency, will contact us. We'll get the nearest funeral director to you as quickly as we can -- before final legal death, ideally.

"After you're declared legally dead, your body will be prepared and cooled and sent to the Cryonics Institute facility where the final perfusion and preparations take place. There your body will be gradually cooled to -196 degrees centigrade and immersed in liquid nitrogen in a protective cryostat.

It is important if a local funeral director is going to be used for the initial preparation of the body that he or she is properly trained as to what to do. Normal embalming would not work. The body has to be cooled and eventually frozen. Freezing cells creates ice crystals that act as spears. They puncture the cell membranes rendering the cell useless. So, prior to freezing the body has to be perfused with a solution that is not destructive to cells (such as formaldehyde), but prevents the formation of ice crystals. This cryoprotectant, such as Ringer's solution containing glycerol and possibly DMSO, acts an antifreeze keeping the cells from bursting. The body is then cooled and transferred to the Cryonics Institute for submersion in their service capsule containing liquid nitrogen.

The body is stored in a head-down position in case there is leakage. The last to thaw would he the head. Some people have only their heads cryonically suspended. That is known as "neurosuspension." It is a space-saving procedure that should result in lower costs. However, some cryonics concerns will not perform neurosuspension because of the logistics. What happens to the rest of the body? If reanimation is to be performed in the future what is the head going to be attached to?

There are some other concerns one must consider in this field. If we reanimated a caveman today how would he fit into society? Would he be doomed to "living" in a zoo? What would it be like if you were reanimated in the future and there were no friends or relatives. Would you speak the same language? Would you be considered stupid? And, if everyone were suspended and reanimated in 500 years what would happen to the population? Lastly, what happens to all the stored bodies if the cryonics concern goes belly up?

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