Imagine a future where death isn’t the end. A future where medical breakthroughs revive those frozen in time to live again. This isn’t just science fiction – it’s the promise of cryonics. While controversial and unproven, cryonics has captured imaginations and sparked debates about life, death, and the ethical use of technology.
So, what exactly is cryonics? And how does it differ from cryogenics, the established science of utilising freezing temperatures?
It’s a topic that has always fascinated me. So, I’m writing here to give you an overview and highlight some confusion around it.
Cryonics vs. Cryogenics: Clearing Up The Confusion
Let’s get one thing straight: cryonics and cryogenics are not the same. The confusion often stems from their shared root word, “cryo,” which means cold. While both involve extreme cold, their purposes and scientific foundations are worlds apart.
Cryogenics is the science of producing and studying extremely low temperatures, usually below -150°C (-238°F). It’s a well-established field with practical applications. Think liquid nitrogen for preserving biological samples, superconductors in MRI machines, or cooling rocket fuels for space exploration. It’s well-established and most people know about it, even if they don’t relate the topic to the word cryogenics.
Cryonics, on the other hand, purely speculative. It links to cryogenics in that the fundamental centre of its theory is around using low temperatures to freeze a person in that moment. It focuses on preserving human (or animal) bodies after legal death in the hope that future science will revive them.
So, while cryonics depends on cryogenics for freezing and storage, it’s more like a gamble on what the future might achieve. Unlike cryogenics, which is rooted in proven science, cryonics ventures into uncharted and highly debated territory.
How Does Cryonics Work?
The idea behind cryonics is simple – to preserve the body at a low enough temperatures to halt decay, and then wait for a time when advanced technologies can bring it back to life. Although that simple statement sounds, well simple, it’s actually incredibly difficult to achieve (and impossibly so at the moment).
Here’s how it theoretically could work:
Step 1: Declaring Legal Death
Cryonics can only begin once a person is declared legally dead. This means not only that their heart has stopped, but also that their brain cells are still viable for a short time. Timing is critical. The sooner the process begins, the better the chances of preserving the brain’s structure and information.
Step 2: Rapid Cooling
Immediately after death, the body is cooled with ice to slow decomposition. Blood is removed and replaced with a cryoprotectant solution, basically an antifreeze-like substance that will prevent ice crystals from forming inside cells. Without this step, ice crystals would rupture cell membranes, causing irreversible damage.
This process is called vitrification. Instead of turning into ice, the body’s fluids solidify into a glass-like state, minimizing damage during freezing.
Step 3: Long-Term Storage
Once vitrified, the body is cooled further, eventually reaching a minimum of -196°C (-320°F), and stored in large tanks filled with liquid nitrogen. These tanks are designed to keep bodies in a stable, cryogenic state for potentially an indefinite period of time.
And that’s where the story pauses. There’s currently no way to revive a body from this state, but proponents of cryonics believe that’s a problem for future scientists to solve.
If that all sounds like hope and science fiction, well at the moment, it basically is – although the theories are sound.
In summary:
- Cryonics is rooted in science
- It’s currently purely speculative
- No human has ever been through the process
- We don’t know if revival is possible
- If the brain or body can be revived then what will it look like?
The Science And Challenges Of Cryonics
Cryonics sounds promising, but it’s fraught with challenges—scientific, ethical, and practical.
- Scientific Hurdles
The biggest issue is that freezing causes damage, even with cryoprotectants. Cells and tissues can still suffer from cracks or even chemical toxicity. More importantly, reviving a body isn’t just about thawing it out. The process would require repairing cellular damage, restoring brain function, and curing whatever caused death in the first place. In short, it’s a massive process that requires scientific and medical abilities we are hundreds of years away from developing.
- No Revival Yet
To date, no human or animal has been successfully revived after being cryopreserved. Cryonics relies on speculative future technologies, such as nanotechnology, to repair and rejuvenate the body’s cells. While nanotechnology is advancing rapidly, especially with the growth of AI, it’s far from capable of such feats.
- Energy and Cost
Maintaining bodies at cryogenic temperatures requires a constant supply of liquid nitrogen and energy. This makes cryonics both resource-intensive and expensive. Preserving a single body can cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. In any foreseeable future, this is purely a rich person’s dream, in the same way that private space travel is.
- Unanswered Questions
Even if revival becomes possible, there are just so many unknowns. Will a revived person retain their memories and personality? How will society handle an influx of people from the past? In what form will these people be maintained, or can function? These questions remain purely speculative.
The Ethical and Philosophical Debate
Cryonics doesn’t just raise scientific challenges – it also dives deep into ethical and philosophical waters. Here are some of the key debates:
- Hope or Exploitation?
Supporters see cryonics as a beacon of hope, a great shining light in the future that is offering a second chance at life. Critics argue that it exploits people’s fear of death, offering false promises without scientific backing. Is it ethical to charge people for something that’s far from guaranteed?
- Defining Death
Cryonics challenges our understanding of death. If future technology can reverse the damage caused by freezing, does that mean death is no longer permanent? And if so, when does death truly “end”? We already have become recently aware that the brain can function for many hours after the body is believed to be dead, so what does this further pushing of that limit do?
- Religious and Societal Views
Many religious and cultural traditions view death as a natural or spiritual transition, not something to be reversed. Cryonics’ attempt to cheat death can clash with these beliefs, sparking resistance or scepticism. In the long run though, should it become viable, then religious scepticism will vanish as people overwhelmingly seek the potential for a second life and therefore reject the entire theory of religion and the spirit passing on as provably false.
The Current State of Cryonics
While still incredibly niche, cryonics is gaining traction. Several companies and organizations offer cryonics services, including:
- Alcor Life Extension Foundation: Based in Arizona, Alcor is one of the most well-known cryonics organizations. They’ve preserved over 190 people as of today.
- Cryonics Institute: Located in Michigan, they offer more affordable cryopreservation services.
- KrioRus: A Russian organization offering cryonics services for humans and pets.
Globally, only a few hundred people have chosen cryonics so far, though these companies report that tens of thousands have signed up for potential future preservation. High costs and scepticism will keep it out of reach for most though.
Why Do People Choose Cryonics?
Cryonics appeals to a specific mindset, although that mindset could be argued to exist in all of us to some degree.
Here are the main reasons people choose it:
- Fear of death
For many, cryonics offers hope in the face of mortality. The idea of extending life, even by centuries, is enough to convince some to take the leap.
- Belief in future technology
Cryonics attracts optimists who trust in scientific progress. They believe technologies like nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and advanced medicine will one day solve the problems of revival. These are themes being pushed hard right now by people like Elon musk in relation to AI and space travel, increasingly placing the discussion out in the open.
- A leap of faith
Ultimately, cryonics is a gamble. For those who can afford it, the cost may seem worth the chance, however small, of a second life. But what would that life look like and when would it happen?
The Speculative Future Of Cryonics
What would it take to make cryonics work? The answer lies in breakthroughs across multiple fields. At the moment just by glancing at the following, you can see that it’s massively out of reach in any near term, or medium term, realistic future.
Nanotechnology
Proponents envision molecular machines capable of repairing cells and tissues at the atomic level. These machines could potentially reverse freezing damage, cure diseases, and even rejuvenate aging bodies.
Artificial Intelligence
AI could play a critical role in mapping and restoring neural connections in the brain. This would be key to preserving memories and personality. However, even the accessibility of AI, people are still incredibly sceptical of it and it’s proven to be unreliable for even basic tasks.
Medical Advances
Future medicine might eliminate diseases that are currently incurable, making it possible to restore health to those preserved today.
Societal Challenges
Even if revival becomes possible, practical concerns remain. How will society reintegrate people from the past? Will they have legal rights? What about overpopulation? What happens if the body can’t be saved but the brain can.
A Futuristic Gamble Worth Betting On?
Cryonics is not cryogenics. While it uses proven cryogenic technologies for preservation, its ultimate goal of reviving the dead is purely speculative. No one knows if it will work, when it might be possible, or what it might cost society.
We also have to consider who might come back. Imagine if Hitler was resurrected, or in a thousand years, Stalin or Putin were? It’s not just bringing people back that is the issue, it’s about who we bring back. Who decides who is good and who is bad?
Yet, for some, the promise of cryonics is worth the gamble. It’s a leap of faith rooted in the hope that death may not be the final chapter. Whether it’s a bold step toward the future or a costly illusion, only time will tell.
For now, cryonics remains a fascinating intersection of science, philosophy, and human curiosity. One thing is certain: it keeps the dream of life alive, even in the face of death, which to some is compelling and comforting.