X-Message-Number: 12528
Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 21:21:48 -0700 (PDT)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: for the future

In Message #12517 Thomas Donaldson <> wrote:

>Briefly, when I said that SOMEDAY we'll know how to preserve people
without lowering their temperature, I meant exactly that.... Perhaps in
100 or 200 years, perhaps even longer than that. But still, someday. And
because I was talking very longterm, present technology comes close to
being irrelevant.
<
  Fine, I'll wait. I've looked at the barriers preventing an early
development of a human version of anhydrobiosis (desiccation without
freezing). IHMO, I doubt this would feasible without first developing
a fully reversible chemical fixation protocol. I don't think it is
accurate to think primarily in terms of time when contemplating how long  
any technical advances will time. A better measure would be in
dollars. If a billion dollars was spent on this over 6 months, I strongly
suspect human anhydrobiosis would be a reality within 6 months. However
seeing how little $$ is currently being spent, 200 years might not be far
off.
  By comparison the only significant obstacle preventing reversible
cryopreservation of entire organs or even complete bodies, is
cryoprotectant toxicity. For the last 30 years progress on this has been
at a virtual standstill, though recently it looks like Saul Kent has been
investing to break this trend.
  FYI - I'm still doing some toxicity experiments with flies. Some
interesting results, but I am not prepared to release results just yet.

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