Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Robert Ettinger, the father of cryonics, is gone – for now. At 92. His body will be frozen.

The freezing process itself is relatively simple. As soon after death as possible, the patient’s body is gradually cooled over a five-day period until it reaches the same temperature as liquid nitrogen, -330F (-200C). The blood is replaced with a cryoprotectant fluid, which aims to prevent the formation of ice crystals that damage tissue during the cooling process. The bodies are then immersed in liquid nitrogen and stored upside down, so that if there is ever any leakage it affects the feet first and not the brain.

the basic procedure can be carried out for as little as $28,000 (£17,000), and funded inexpensively by paying into a life insurance policy. His institute had more than 700 people signed up to be future patients.

One of the slogans the company’s marketeers use is: “Save your ass, not your assets.”

“The cycle of generations comforts some, but this cycle will end, probably in this century. Babies born today may never die, at least of natural causes.” A brave new world indeed

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