X-Message-Number: 22529 From: Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2003 18:05:23 EDT Subject: Skeptic in Scientific American Greetings all: The October issue of Scientific American, p 43, has an article by its professional skeptic, Michael Shermer, rather snidely deriding any possibility of immortality. Of cryonics he says : "Cryonics immortality. Freeze. Wait. Reanimate. It sounds good in theory, but you're still a corpsicle. And when your tissue is thawed, your cells will be mush. Don't forget to pay the electric bill in the meantime." I plan to send the letter below to refute his main point. Could you good people check my facts and logic, or make other suggestions? Is there a good source for the fact that aortas are commonly preserved by freezing and thawing? Is there a better example -- is any larger tissue or organ frozen now? Many thanks, Alan Mole Mushy Thinking In Skeptic, Michael Shermer derides cryonics as a means to immortality, saying "And when your tissue is thawed, your cells will be mush." He's too skeptical by half. For years it has been common practice to freeze embryos and tissues up to the size of an aorta -- and thaw them successfully, not turning them to mush but returning them to life. Granted, present techniques result in some freezing damage and some dead cells, but certain tissues can survive that. And recent advances in vitrification solutions hold promise to eliminate the freezing damage. So cryonics already works for some tissues and needs only reasonable advances to freeze and revive whole human beings. Or, if you are frozen now, it is plausible that future technology may be able to repair any damage that occurs. What does the Skeptic think of all the healthy children running around who started life as embryos in liquid nitrogen? Are they a mushy hoax? I think there are good hopes for life extension, and Mr. Shermer is like a man denying the possibility of heavier than air flight -- just as the Wrights are taking off. Alan Mole Boulder Colorado Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=22529