Cryonics

[Organism]

For those of you who don't know about cryonics, take a looksie at this --> http://www.benbest.com/cryonics/CryoFAQ.html#_IA_

 

 

What do you think of it all?

Is such a thing scientifically feasible?

Are you against it morally?

Would you be interested in being frozen?

 

 

I'd be interested to hear what you think.

[Prime-Evil]

If your kid really needs a time-out, this could be just the ticket.

Also, if you don't quite have enough saved up for their college education,

Or if you just want to take that vacation first.

[bascule]

I think cryonicists look at the situation in one of two ways:

 

1) I can either freeze myself and hope future medical technology can revive me

 

- or -

 

2) I can let the worms eat my brain, in which case no medical science will be able to bring me back

 

If nanotechnology takes off, I think they might be right... if I become rich, then you can bet I'm signing up... only $80,000!

 

I must be the most half-assed Immortalist in the world

[cpwmatthews]

I think the main thing with it is that the brain will not be adequately preserved with the correct fluids saving the structure of the cells, the body part is fine but again pumping enough saving fluid into the organs ? I doubt they can, some people just have their heads frozen, even with stem cell research matching it up to a suitable body that would not reject all the tubes would be a nightmare

[sabbath]

Well being young, I really have no strong attachments to this world so if I do die I just want to die and that's all. I actually think I'd be pretty happy if I finally die rather than live all over again. It would be interesting to see what the future is like though, if human civilization has gotten any better at being human, but it's not that tempting for me to try out and get vitrified.

 

With present technology I think it's way impossible to happen yet. But add a decade or so I think it would be somewhat possible and actually safe to undergo. The reanimation process though may well be way ahead in the future, and I think the first people they reanimate may well have brain damage and some physiological aberrations.

[lsparrish]

Most of the tech needed doesn't need to be invented yet. We just have to prevent the bare minimum of damage to keep from being irrevocably dead -- whatever that may be.

[the asinine cretin]

Two major problems with cryonics (not purported to be a complete list by any means) are: 1. Cellular damage caused by freezing; 2. Containment failure.

 

Possible solutions (admittedly far-out and speculative):

 

1. Gene therapy, or some such thing, for producing antifreeze protein(s) in cells, particularly the most important cells such as those of the brain.

2. Lunar cryonics vault (lava tube or excavated). There seem to be regions at the poles with stable liquid nitrogen temperatures that may provide ideal temps without maintenance for millennia.