Cryonics and Cryogenics are often confused with each other. Cryonics refers to the process of freezing post death, with the hope of future resuscitation, whereas, Cryogenics is the study of low temperatures. Cryonics is the method of preserving human bodies at extreme cold temperatures with the aim of resuscitating the bodies back to life, once they have legally died. The bodies are preserved until science can revive them to health. The word cryogenics comes from the Greek word cryos, meaning "cold".This method of preservation is a risky one, as science still has not been succesful in resuscitating a human. This debate is an interesting one as cryopreservation is still a new technology to scientists, however if this method of preservation is succesful this could allow for the survival of the human race.
WHAT IS CRYOPRESERVATION, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
![Picture](/uploads/9/6/0/5/96055648/published/process-of-cryopreservation.jpeg?250)
WHAT IS CRYOPRESERVATION?
Cryopreservation is the freezing of a body to - 196˚C (-321˚F). Anti-freeze compounds are injected into the corpse to stop cells being damaged and to prevent any internal freezing. Although resuscitation has not been succesful on humans, the hope is that science will be able to resuscitate humans back to health.
HOW IS IT MEANT TO WORK?
The process can only take place once the body is legally dead. Ideally, it begins within two minutes of the heart stopping – and no more than 15 minutes. The body has to be packed in ice and injected with chemicals to reduce the blood clotting. The body is cooled to just above O˚C and the blood is replaced with a solution to preserve organs. The body's blood vessels are injected with a "cryoprotectant" solution to try and stop ice crystals forming inside the organs and tissues and the body is cooled to -130˚C. The final step is to place the body into a container which is lowered into a tank of liquid nitrogen at - 196˚C.
WHAT'S THE CHANCE OF SUCCESS?
Many experts say there is none. Organs such as the heart and kidneys have never been successfully frozen and thawed, so it is even less likely a whole body – and the brain – could be frozen without irreversible damage.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
At the Cryonics Institute, the starting cost is around $35,000 (£28,000) to 'members' for whole-body cryopreservation, which may include costs such as transportation. Rival group Alcor charges $200,000 (£161,000) for whole-body preservation.
HOW LONG BEFORE PEOPLE CAN BE BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE?
Cryonics organisations believe that it could be decades or even centuries before people can be resuscitated fully back to health. However Medical experts say once cells are damaged during freezing and turned to 'mush' they cannot be converted back to living tissue.
Cryopreservation is the freezing of a body to - 196˚C (-321˚F). Anti-freeze compounds are injected into the corpse to stop cells being damaged and to prevent any internal freezing. Although resuscitation has not been succesful on humans, the hope is that science will be able to resuscitate humans back to health.
HOW IS IT MEANT TO WORK?
The process can only take place once the body is legally dead. Ideally, it begins within two minutes of the heart stopping – and no more than 15 minutes. The body has to be packed in ice and injected with chemicals to reduce the blood clotting. The body is cooled to just above O˚C and the blood is replaced with a solution to preserve organs. The body's blood vessels are injected with a "cryoprotectant" solution to try and stop ice crystals forming inside the organs and tissues and the body is cooled to -130˚C. The final step is to place the body into a container which is lowered into a tank of liquid nitrogen at - 196˚C.
WHAT'S THE CHANCE OF SUCCESS?
Many experts say there is none. Organs such as the heart and kidneys have never been successfully frozen and thawed, so it is even less likely a whole body – and the brain – could be frozen without irreversible damage.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
At the Cryonics Institute, the starting cost is around $35,000 (£28,000) to 'members' for whole-body cryopreservation, which may include costs such as transportation. Rival group Alcor charges $200,000 (£161,000) for whole-body preservation.
HOW LONG BEFORE PEOPLE CAN BE BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE?
Cryonics organisations believe that it could be decades or even centuries before people can be resuscitated fully back to health. However Medical experts say once cells are damaged during freezing and turned to 'mush' they cannot be converted back to living tissue.
In my website I will be looking at how different ethic theories can be applied to the theory of cryonics and what the views of each theory would be. Each ethical theory will have different views alongside various different religious views.
If you've been cryocrastinating, putting off signing up for cryonics "until later", don't think you've "gotten away with it so far". Many worlds, remember?