What Is Cryonics? Age-Old Concept That Aims To Bring Humans 'Back To Life'

Death is often considered the last chapter in one’s journey, but many consider it just an interruption in the journey. In a major bid to beat death, some individuals have opted to preserve their bodily form, or more commonly their brain, at extremely low temperatures, with hopes of being revived as a result of technological developments that may occur in years to come.

Known as Cryonics, the practice involves placing someone’s body in suspended animation with the use of nitrogen, which is liquid at - 196 degrees Celsius, thus preserving the person in a glass-like state.

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A bet on life beyond death

For those who do not view death as a determinable end, cryonics provides an opportunity to protect oneself from the uncertainties associated with what happens after death, similar to long-term life insurance. Supporters of cryonics also argue that an individual should consider the possibility of one day being revived by science when determining if cryonics is worth the financial investment to preserve one's body or brain for any length of time.

The number of people interested in cryonics around the world continues to grow; research conducted by MIT Technology Review, for example, has highlighted some individuals’ efforts to find a way to "pause" their lives. Although it is still unknown if or when science will allow someone to be revived, many individuals are optimistic.

Leading organisations in the field

Two primary players have established themselves in the space: the Alcor Life Extension Foundation, based in Arizona, and the Cryonics Institute, which is based in Michigan, both of which continue to attract clients from around the globe.

More than 500 people are predicted to be preserved with cryonics by the year 2026, with many more thousands scheduled for future procedures. Companies such as Alcor offer both complete body preservation and neuro-preservation (brain only). The majority of people choose to preserve their brains only because they believe that these brains can house memories, personalities, and consciousness. Future technologies, such as nanomedicine, could potentially allow for the restoration of these brains when attached to a new body or even into a digital format.

The costs of cryonics are extremely high. The average complete body preservation costs approximately Rs. 1.5-2 crore (about USD 2,00,000), and the cost of preserving just the brain ranges from Rs. 60-70 lakh. Many people utilise life insurance policies to pay the relatively low monthly premiums to cover these costs.

The scientific obstacles faced continue to be a challenge. A large challenge in bringing back a person who has been preserved is the freezing method used for preservation. The freezing process causes major destruction to vulnerable cells and significant localised areas of tissue, particularly complex organs such as the human brain. While many advancements have been made to the methods of preserving body/organs, there are currently no successful methods available to revive previously frozen individuals.

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Those who have a strong belief in the potential for reviving preserved humans believe that as technology progresses and advancements occur in stem cell research, Nanotechnology and regenerative medicine, eventually restoring preserved organs will become a reality.

As noted by researchers such as Ralph Merkle, these advances could allow the development of new technologies that would enable the repair and revival of cellular structures, provided that the cellular structure had not already been damaged.

An Old Idea Still Has Life

James Bedford became the first person to be cryonically preserved in 1967, and, as of this writing, his body continues to undergo the process of cryonic preservation. From the mid-to-late 1900’s, there were a few methods of physically preserving a human post-mortem; however, numerous advancements have since provided improved options for people to consider.

Upon death, the body is cooled rapidly. Blood is then replaced with a specially formulated "Cryoprotectant," designed to prevent the formation of ice crystals in the cells, which provides for the preservation of the body and organs in a vitrified form, or a glass-like state.