X-Message-Number: 20818
Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2003 11:49:49 -0800 (PST)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: 2 cents on cheaper cryonics alternatives

In Message #20811 From: "John de Rivaz" <>
> > From: Mike Perry <>
> > Subject: Cheaper Alternatives to Cryonics
> > I wish such an alternative existed, and hope the efforts to find one
> > and make it available continue.
>
> ... cheap is expensive if it is useless. However as both cryonics and
> any other methods rely on future science, no one can say with absolute
> certainty that any of these will work
>
I think a credible, cheaper alternative to conventional cryonics could be
developed, after some experimentation is done. To keep storage costs
minimal, this would involve storage of only a head, or even just the
brain. However vaccuum freeze-drying of brain tissue without
cryoprotectant involves massive ice crystal damage. Thus if drying of
brain tissue is involved it would probably have to involve large
quantities of cryoprotectant being injected into said tissue, or
avoiding the freezing step in the first place. It is the later possibility
that I find most intriguing, particularly since very slow dehydration
of brain cells, even without lyoprotectant does not kill them. Some newer
"mild" fixatives are apparently "almost" reversible in their effects, so
low temperature slow drying of brain tissue is a intriguing conceptual
possibility. Note that application of a vaccuum at least after drying
would be required to remove free radicals from tissue.

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