Cryonics is the conservation of organic tissue by keeping it at temperatures below zero, typically below -196 ° C, in a controlled environment. This is achieved by keeping the body in an air-tight container filled with liquid nitrogen. Extremely low temperatures freeze the extracellular water, with the water inside the cell being absorbed through osmosis and causing cell dehydration and making the tissue less susceptible to decomposition. Modern technology does not make possible the rebirth of the preserved tissue / body. Therefore, the conservation of the body takes place in the hope that the technology of the future will make it possible to revive the preserved organic tissue.
History of cryonics
Since prehistoric times, one of the most popular ways to preserve meat has frozen it. The ancient humans used ice and snow to freeze the meat, preventing it from decomposing and therefore extending its duration. Modern technology has brought refrigerators and freezers that use the same process to store perishable foods. The scientists of the 20th century had to draw on this ancient knowledge to invent cryonics. One problem that scientists often faced was the storage of transferable organs, as the medical technology of the time was inefficient in tissue preservation. Cryopreservation was introduced into the world in 1967 with the preservation of the body of Dr. James Bedford.
Controversial problems
The science of cryonics has been a controversial topic since its introduction in the 20th century. The first is the morality of the whole process. Religion has long been at odds with the scientific community, and cryonics does not improve the situation. Religious leaders expressed their displeasure at the trial, which challenges their most crucial conviction; the body’s transition into the afterlife. Another problem is the fact that the rebirth of preserved organic tissue depends purely on future advances in medical technology and nanotechnology in particular. Another problem arising from cryonics is the fact that modern medical technology does not allow scientists to assess whether the tissue in conservation has suffered substantial or irreversible damage. Another controversial problem is the astronomical cost required by the procedure. The average cryopreservation procedure involving whole body preservation costs between $ 28,000 and $ 200,000 in the four existing facilities around the world.
The request
There are four cryopreservation facilities around the world; one in Russia and three in the United States. However, these facilities cannot meet the demand for the procedure. It is estimated that around 250 human bodies are subjected to cryopreservation and another 1,500 group has expressed an interest in having their bodies cryopreserved after being established to be legally dead.
