X-Message-Number: 19238
From: 
Date: Sun, 9 Jun 2002 02:20:00 EDT
Subject: If man were meant to fly...

CryoNet,

Hal Tindale writes:

"I am trying to convince NASA to consider
conducting some research into suspended
animation (and maybe assist our own efforts
along the way). How can we (or should we?)
impress upon NASA the validity of conducting
such research?"

It would be nice to see NASA take on this project.  Certainly it would be 
another goal worthy of their ingenuity and scientific expertise -- easily as 
difficult and challenging as a walk on the Moon.  It would also be 
interesting to see what would happen with "cryonics acceptance" as measured 
by increased sign-ups once the first mammal was retrieved safe and sound from 
LN2 temperatures.  Amazingly, it still might still be considerably less than 
most anyone might predict.  Flying back from New Orleans this afternoon, 
watching the sunset from about 7 miles over the surface of the planet, I read 
a review of a recent study regarding levels of science knowledge and the 
typical American. Only a little over half knew that the Earth circles the Sun 
on a yearly basis (and since it was likely a multiple choice test, one has to 
wonder *how sure* all the "right ones" were!).  About 40 percent believe 
there is at least some scientific basis for Astrology (on the other hand, to 
be fair, no way, say, Nancy Reagan and friends could be all wrong, right?).  
I don't know about science in the rest of the "modern" world, but the more I 
think about it, the more I can see that current numbers for cryonics may be 
about right.
____________

Most science fiction authors write fiction, not prescience -- the mindset, 
the attraction, the gift... is the unreal, not the "prereal."

Regards,

DC Johnson, Raleigh, NC

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