Cryogenic freezing is something out of the realm of fantasy. At least that's how it might have seemed a couple of decades ago. Now, many are seriously interested in the question of whether it will be possible to freeze oneself at one moment, and then “order” awakening in the future? And since this topic is interesting and relevant, it is worth trying to find the answer.
Terminology
It's worth starting with a consideration of such a thing as cryonics. It comes from the Greek word κρύος, which translates as "frost" or "cold". This is a technology that makes it possible to keep animals and people in a state of deep cooling. They do this in the hope that in the future they will be able to revive and even cure.
However, today cryogenic freezing of people, as well as large animals, cannot be reversible. This means that once "preserved" them, in the future it will not be possible to revive them. The sameconcerns the frozen brain and head. Why? Because the cryogenic freezing of a person occurs only after his legally recorded death. Otherwise it would be considered murder.
But why then all this? The fact is that some scientists believe that brain death is theoretically not final. And they hope that one day technology will reach such a level of development that it will be possible to revive such frozen people.
Many actively support this idea. In 2016, an open letter in support of cryonics was drafted and signed by 69 scientists from around the world. But the very hypothesis concerning the possible restoration of information contained in the brain after death is considered unprovable.
Evidence of Probability
Of course, no one would argue that cryogenic freezing of a person is possible without solid evidence.
In 1966, for example, it was possible to prove that the brain restores electrical activity after freezing to -20 °C. In 1974, an experiment was conducted, during which the gray matter partially restored its activity after 7 years of storage in appropriate conditions.
In 1984, it was proven that large organs do not undergo structural damage during freezing. And in 1986, scientists found that large mammals can be brought back to life if they stay in a state of clinical death for three hours at a temperature of -3 ° C.
In 2002, they conducted an experiment, during which it turned out that the brain retains memory, even if it is cooled to -10 ° C. ATIn 2004, doctors performed a successful kidney transplant after freezing them at -45 °C and then warming them up.
The following experiment, conducted in 2006, proved that complex neural connections remain alive even when vitrified (liquid turns into a glassy state).
In 2015, the world learned that the animal, subjected to freezing and rebirth, has not lost its memory. In the same year, they conducted an experiment on cryonics and restoration of the whole brain of a mammal. The researchers assured: everything went perfectly.
How do they think in our country?
Cryogenic freezing of a person in Russia is perceived by many as a fraud. This was repeatedly stated by the chairman of the commission of the Russian Academy of Sciences, engaged in the fight against falsification of research and pseudoscience. Freezing is considered by many to be a commercial venture with no scientific justification, as well as a fantasy that speculates on people's hopes and dreams of eternal life.
But at the same time there are supporters. They say that now, of course, there are doubts about this, but in 30-50 years such opportunities may open up, thanks to which it will really be possible to restore a person from a frozen state. And by the way, about 15% of Russians would not be against cryonics for themselves or their relatives - this was found out thanks to a survey conducted by the Levada Center.
KrioRus
12 years ago a company called KrioRus was formed in Russia. Their activities arecryogenic freezing. That is, the storage of the bodies of their deceased "patients" in liquid nitrogen. Moreover, the company offers freezing of both the whole body and only the head.
By the way, KrioRus is the only organization in Russia that freezes pets. Today, three birds (including a goldfinch and a titmouse), 2 cats, 6 cats, 7 dogs and 1 chinchilla are waiting for their future in their vault. You need to love your pet very much to decide on this. Because cryogenically freezing an ordinary cat costs $12,000.
The same price is set for the preservation of the human brain. Freezing the entire body costs $36,000. The so-called VIP-freezing in a cryogenic chamber is also available. The price of the issue is from 150,000 dollars. Of the advantages - a cryo-bracelet, thanks to which a person's vital activity can be tracked. In the event of a death, a rapid response team is dispatched to the scene. There are some other "benefits" (if it is appropriate to say in this context), but they can be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Preparation
Cryogenic freezing of the body is very difficult, which is logical. Therefore, preparation is extremely important, which involves the manufacture of special solutions. If there is already a ready-made concentrate, then it will be possible to make 32 liters from it, which are necessary for cryonics of the head.
When the solution is ready, it is passed through vacuum sterilization, which is carried out using special filters. Since so far cryogenic freezing in Russia has notvery popular, all liquid substances are frozen until the need to use them. When the "patient" appears, the solution is thawed and the procedure begins.
Next step
The first thing they do with the human body after death is to cool it down to 0 °C. This is so important that if the "client" turned to the specialists in advance, he is advised to prepare ice packs. After all, immediately after the heart of a person stops, the destruction of his body begins. All processes that were previously responsible for maintaining life stop their work. And either ice or a coolant of chemical origin can stop the destruction of the body.
After that, specialists get access to the circulatory system. This is usually done by either a pathologist or a surgeon. Or a specialist of a company that provides such a service as cryogenic freezing.
The photos that are publicly available today show that the procedure is very similar to a conventional therapeutic operation. In its course, specialists gain access to the jugular vein and carotid artery. This is where the second stage ends and the last one, the most important one, begins.
Connecting the perfusion system
After all the previously described steps, special tubes are inserted into the arteries and veins of the body. With their help, blood is excreted from the body. And the body is filled with the solution. To control the process, use an instrument such as a refractometer. With its help, it is possible to determine the percentage of concentration of the solution in the tank (which inin this case, the body protrudes).
60% - this is exactly the degree of saturation established by experts. As soon as this indicator is reached, the procedure is completed. The blood is completely replaced by solutions. Even the smallest part of it should not be allowed to remain in the body. Because in this case, the processes of change will accelerate.
That, however, is the whole answer to the question of how cryogenic freezing occurs. The body is then placed in storage. The operation itself lasts approximately 4 hours, 6 specialists work on the patient, including 2 surgeons and 4 assistants.
Procedure alive
Many are keenly interested in the question: "Is it possible to cryogenically freeze a living person, and not a dead one?" Well, one thing can be said with certainty: at the moment it is not practiced. At the beginning of the article it was already said that such a procedure is tantamount to murder. But there is more information.
Many may think, they say, yes, revival is possible if a living person were subjected to freezing. However, this procedure is carried out with a dead body! Doesn't that sound weird?
The experts have the answer. They assure that there is no fundamental difference between the living and the dead in this context. At the initial stage, for sure. Because any person within 15 minutes after death is considered, in principle, alive - with the help of modern technologies, it can be brought back to life. And claims that irreversible changes begin to occur in the brain are a myth. In any case, specialists from cryocenters cite refutations in the form of complexscientific theories. But still, for now, freezing a living person is impossible.
The youngest "patient"
In 2015, probably the most unusual cryogenic freezing of a person was carried out. A photo of the "patient" is provided below. This is a 2-year-old girl from Thailand named Matherin Naowaratpong. She is the youngest person ever to undergo such a specific "preservation".
Baby died two years ago, 2015-08-01. The cause was a brain tumor. 12 operations, 40 sessions of chemical and radiation therapy did not help. But her parents, having frozen the body and brain of the girl (80% of the left hemisphere of which she had lost by the time of death), firmly believe that Maternal will someday be brought back to life. The entire procedure cost her parents $280,000 + $700 annually for storage.
Unconventional shenanigans
In 2009, a very interesting incident happened. Although the news sounded quite ordinary: a scammer from New York deceived investors in the amount of $5 million.
But here's the thing. This man, whose name is Vileon Chey, somehow managed to convince investors that he was investing the money allocated to him in profitable foreign exchange funds, precious metals and oil. However, he spent $150,000 to freeze the body of his wife, who also died in 2009, and the rest to hide. He was never found.
Example of amazing enthusiasm
The photo below is of a 23-year-old studentDepartment of Neurology named Kim Suozzi. In the early 2010s, she was diagnosed with a terrible diagnosis - brain cancer. What did the girl do? She turned to social networks for help. After telling her story, she began raising money to freeze herself until a cure for cancer or a 100% cure for the disease was found.
The campaign was a success. The girl was helped to raise a huge amount - many futurists and even the Venturizm society participated in this. On January 17, 2013, Kim fell into a state of clinical death. On the same day, her body was cryopreserved.
Mass cryopreservation project
He exists. But so far this project concerns only animals. What is the point? In realizing the prospects for the conservation of many species of animals. Even the vault, created specifically for this, was decided to be called the "Frozen Ark". There are DNA of those animals that are already extinct or are on the verge. Scientists believe that thanks to the genetic material and modern technologies, it will be possible to clone non-existent species. And it seems real, since a successful experiment was conducted in 2009.
Spanish scientists organized the most difficult experiment, as a result of which a cub of the Pyrenean ibex was born! But this species completely disappeared in 2000. The DNA of the last mammal that died was preserved and transferred to the egg of a domestic goat, devoid of its own genetic material. The embryo was then transferred into a femaleanother subspecies of the Spanish ibex. 439 such procedures were performed. Of these, only 7 ended in pregnancy, and one - in childbirth. But the goat turned out to be sick and died after 7 minutes due to breathing problems. And yet, scientists do not lose hope and continue to improve their approaches and technologies.
What are the prospects?
Experts who know how cryogenic freezing works and continue to develop this area love to share their assumptions regarding the role of this procedure in the near future.
They are sure: in order to restore a person as a person, only his brain will be needed. Because it is a repository of memories, skills and knowledge. As for body modeling, this is a matter of technique and the wishes of the person himself. And to find out what the "client" looked like, it will be enough just one DNA cell taken from the brain. Specialists will analyze it, reveal the appearance of a person, clone organs and bring the person back to life. But all this is just speculation about the probable future. So far, a 100-year contract has been signed with frozen patients. But if a method of revival is not invented before that moment, then the contract will be automatically extended until the times when it will be possible.
In general, cryotechnologists are sure that there are prospects. Perhaps this procedure is a step towards eventual immortality. But how everything will be in reality - time will tell.
