X-Message-Number: 1400
From:  (Nick Szabo)
Newsgroups: sci.cryonics,sci.med,sci.bio
Subject: After 5,000 years of primitive cryonics
Message-ID: <>
Date: 5 Dec 92 10:10:01 GMT

Can we learn anything about long-term organ storage or cryonics 
from the "ice man" who was freeze-dried at -10C for 5,000 years?  

* Are the effects of mummification (drying) as bad as
  claimed?  How does the destruction of neural cells
  and the structural displacement of neural connections
  compare to ice crystal growth in wet freezing? 
* Does his chemical degradation match the rule of
  "factor of two in temperature means factor of ten
  in rate of decay"?  Isn't decay a more complex
  function of mobilized enzymes and parasites?
* Can this man's brain been examined via CAT scan or directly?  
  Can we learn anything about his psychology, language,
  etc. from examining what is left of the neural structure? 
* Can any of the ice man's organs, bone marrow, skin cells,
  etc. be extracted and grown in vitro?
* Will parasites common 5,000 years ago being reintroduced?  
  The thawed corpse may release a potpouri of ancient plagues 
  for which we have lost resistance.  


-- 
Nick Szabo					 

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