SOURCE FEATURES PAGE

Fred Chamberlain Special BioTransport Announcement 3

Jerry B. Lemler You Only Go Around Twice 6

Michael R. Seidl First Thoughts on Last Matters 8

Fred Chamberlain Asilomar Conference 14

Thomas Donaldson Why Memory? 23

Mike Perry TechNews 25

Miller Family donation ...... 2

The Baby Boomers’ Guide on sale at a discount ...... 5

“Why Fund Your Suspension with Life Insurance?”...... 10

Book Review: The Feeling of What Happens ...... 29

Book Review: The Baby Boomers’ Guide ...... 30

Member Profile: Klaus Reinhard ...... 44

Alcor update - 11 Lifequest - 32

BioTransport Purchases CryoStar Freezer . . . 11 BLUE by Anthony Dunn...... 32 Alcor Membership Growth ...... 12 RE-CREATION Alcor Membership Status ...... 13 by Fred Chamberlain...... 40

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 1 You Asked for Greater Membership Growth ... FM2030 in Cryostasis (excerpted from the Associated Press Here Is Your Opportunity to Help “Make It So!” article “Waiting for the Thaw”)

The Robert Miller family, Alcor members who live in Canada, recently made a generous donation of $100,000 for the extraordinarily important purpose of developing a marketing program that will increase Alcor’s membership.

Now, we are asking you to join the Millers’ gesture of support and their confidence in our future by adding your own contribution to this important membership-building campaign. Your dollars will enable us to communicate our story in a positive and compelling manner, develop marketing materials that will reflect Alcor’s professionalism, and create a presence at important meetings where we can exchange information with scientists from around the world.

NEW YORK—A nationally We have set our goal at the $200,000 level for the year 2000. With your help, known futurist and philosopher we will quickly reach this important milestone. If you agree that we need to who was convinced he would build the Alcor membership, for greater strength and safety, now is the time to live to be 100 died of pancre- give a contribution that will truly make a difference. atic cancer Friday, July 7, in New York at the age of 69. But Donations of more than $1,000 will receive honorable mention in the pages of he plans to come back to life in this publication. We ask you to help support what the Miller family has started Scottsdale Airpark. He had his by adding your own contribution. brain cryonically frozen Satur- If you need tax deductions for the year 2000, this is the time to take such a day night at Alcor Life Exten- deduction and make a major contribution toward your own long-term survival sion Foundation, which is at the same time! located at the airpark. A teacher, author, and corporate consultant who lived in Miami, Fla., FM2030 was cryonics is a quarterly publication of the Alcor Life Extension Foundation launched–his word for born–in Belgium to an Iranian diplomat. Editor Contents copyright © 2000 by the Alcor Life Extension Foundation, except where otherwise noted. All rights re- He lived in 17 countries by the Lisa L. Lock served. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily time he was 11, fostering self- [email protected] those of the Alcor Life Extension Foundation, its Board of Directors, or its management. proclaimed identity as a citizen Associate Editors of the universe. He considered Submissions may be sent via e-mail ([email protected] or Fred & Linda Chamberlain [email protected] or [email protected]) in ASCII, Word, nationality an anachronism and [email protected] or PageMaker format. Mailed submissions should include a often said, “There are no illegal PC diskette with the file in any previously mentioned format [email protected] (although printed text alone will be considered). All submit- immigrants, only irrelevant ted media become property of the Alcor Life Extension Foun- dation unless accompanied by a self-addressed stamped en- borders.” Volume 21:3 velope. The Alcor Life Extension Foundation assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, or art. Send all correspondence and submissions to: 3rd Qtr. 2000 Tributes to FM2030, written Cryonics Magazine Alcor Life Extension Foundation by his friends and colleagues, 7895 E. Acoma Dr., Suite 110 will be published in the next ISSN 1054-4305 Scottsdale, AZ 85260 issue of Cryonics. about the cover CGI art by Tim Hubley

2 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 About That Special BioTransport Announcement dated 26 July 2000!... (which was sent to all Alcor Members and subscribers of Cryonics) by Fred Chamberlain

An announcement you recently suitable for this? Yes, they should be highly competitive. What’s received said, “BioTransport is be fully suitable. Use for this available right now? Companies Developing an Extraordinary New purpose will be promoted to the providing this service are as yet still Program for Viable Cell Cryogenic public, for pets. Legal prohibitions, tiny and appear to rely on collec- Storage.” The flyer also indicated ethical questions, and technical tion techniques that may not pre- that the service would be made concerns may delay cloning in serve true viability. available exclusively to fully humans, but pets appear to be a Prices available now through signed-up Alcor Members at a perfect proving ground. Many of other firms are $300 to $500 or substantial discount, prior to adver- the technical concerns with human more, for limited periods of time. tising to the public. It said that more cloning may in fact be resolved by Negotiations with Alcor may information regarding pricing and widespread pet cloning. As pet provide for reciprocal “backups,” procedures would be available to cloning becomes commonplace, the with the samples at Alcor having no Alcor Members by early Septem- idea of human reproductive cloning time limits whatever, and no addi- ber. So, it’s early September! should become more widely ac- tional charges either. What’s this all about? cepted also. This will be an evolu- Alcor will get excellent visibility. Just in case you missed it, here tionary process. In addition to being acknowledged are the essentials. The cells stored The announcement said soon as a “time without limits” backup, (human or animal) will be fully (after availability to Alcor Mem- Alcor can offer its members highly viable, able to grow in culture bers) BioTransport would “open its discounted prices, since Bio- (make copies of themselves) both doors” to the public. Service fees Transport can contract to serve before and after cryogenic storage. and quality levels are expected to Alcor Members at “cost.” The This means that service could even they should be be a “fringe ben- suitable for efit” of BioTrans- therapeutic clon- port’s cryotrans- ing in humans port service role (growing organs), for Alcor. Bio- reproductive Transport can also cloning of pets, engage in public diagnostic pur- service related poses such as programs funded genetic analysis, by donations to gene therapy Alcor, with Alcor applications, and as the primary reanimation tissue storage site and engineering. BioTransport What about providing the reproductive Left to right: Fred Chamberlain; Linda Chamberlain; Terry backup storage. cloning? Will the Grossman, M.D.; Dale Howell; Karla Steen; and Ron Wise. Along with this cells stored be would go wide-

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 3 spread public recognition of medical services firm, guides the strength and improve the public BioTransport’s role in the development of our PR and market- visibility of Alcor. Thanks to all of cryotransport rescue of Alcor Mem- ing plans. Karla Steen, Alcor’s you who invested in BioTransport bers. All of these factors should Legal Assistant, is in charge of and donated to Alcor. Many of you, accelerate Alcor’s membership contract formulation and legal risk as Life Members, paid dues on an growth. assessment as well as our future accelerated basis, which directly As the announcement said, if offerings of shares to investors. enabled Alcor to support the launch you had been contemplating the Linda Chamberlain, Alcor’s Execu- of BioTransport. All of you Alcor storage of your cells for any of tive Director and (also) a Director Members deserve the best services these purposes, you might wish to of BioTransport, will guide the that BioTransport can provide, at wait a short while longer, to see development of our administrative the lowest prices possible, and what BioTransport is about to offer. systems for close control of cell you’re going to get them. l The higher reliability and quality samples and will implement most of BioTransport will provide, at very the early marketing activity. My job substantial discounts for Alcor is to make sure that nobody gets in Members, may more than make up their way. for the short delay in your being Equipment is being ordered and ! able to take advantage of the installed. Cell culture experimenta- In the last issue, Vol. 21:2, on service. With that in mind, your tion to trade off collection ap- next question may be “So how far proaches began even before the lab page 27, is printed the state- along are we toward this goal?” at Alcor was set up, at other loca- ment that all Alcor members BioTransport’s team includes tions. Marketing strategies are must have changed their life Terry Grossman, M.D., as Supervis- coming into sharp focus. The insurance policies to name ing Physician. Dale Howell, a cell question on your minds, of course, Alcor as owner and benefi- biologist, is now working full time is “How soon are we going to begin ciary by January 1, 2001. at Alcor (for BioTransport), setting offering services to Alcor Mem- up a cell culture and preservation bers?” Actually, Alcor requires that laboratory and conducting market The answer to that question may you make this change and surveys and analyses. An Alcor be in your hands already. This send an updated “schedule” Member with a Ph.D. in cell biol- article, of necessity, had to be of your policy to Alcor by ogy presently serves as our Science written for publication earlier, Advisor-Consultant and may later weeks earlier. Check the separate be named as “Chief Scientist” for BioTransport mailer for details. Still January 1, 2002. the company; his name is withheld more information will follow as the pending that announcement. Ron program develops. We apologize for any confu- Wise, VP for Corporate Communi- This is a brief synopsis of what sion this may have caused. cations and Marketing for a major BioTransport will be doing to gain

Letters to the EditorS

Letters to the editors are most about Alcor, please consult our web rate article and may ask you to welcome on all topics, including site, at www.alcor.org. If you have expand it. We need your ideas, counterpoint on previously pub- questions about developmental your personal visions. This is the lished materials and suggestions as programs within Alcor, you may place to start. to future content. We especially stir us into talking about them even Please send letters and/or invite questions about cryotransport sooner than we might have other- articles to: (cryonics) that are original and far- wise. [email protected], reaching. If your letter is lengthy and [email protected], or If you are seeking information involved, we may use it as a sepa- [email protected].

4 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 The Baby Boomers’ Guide to Living Forever The Promise and the Future Impact of Trying to Live Forever by Terry Grossman, M.D. This book presents the thesis that radical extensions of human life span are only a few decades away. The problem is many baby boomers may not live long enough to avail themselves of these breakthrough technologies—but they will be close! This book offers a way to live a healthier life now, so that anyone can maximize his or her chances of being alive when this new wave of life extension and rejuvenation really begins to take hold. “A must read for anyone who wants to live to see (and enjoy!) the remarkable century ahead. Grossman has brilliantly synthesized an immense array of insight and scientific knowledge.... This beautifully written book provides a very walk- able bridge to vastly enhanced longevity and fulfillment.” Ray Kurzweil, author of The Age of Spiritual Machines

“I’ve long known Terry Grossman as a gifted lecturer and teacher of doctors...this marvelous new book makes his wealth of innovative medical knowledge clearly accessible to the public...a must for ‘boomers’ aspiring to maximal health and longevity.” Ronald L. Hoffman, M.D., author of Intelli- gent Medicine: A Guide to Optimizing Health and Preventing Illness for the Baby Boomer Generation Name: ______About the Author: Mailing Address: ______City: ______State: ______Zip: ______

Terry Grossman, M.D., is the email: ______founder and medical director of Frontier Medical Institute. phone: (______) ______Alcor # ______Prior to moving to the Denver Regular price: $19.95 metro area, he spent 15 years Cost to Alcor Members: $17.95 (10% discount) as a community family doctor Cost to Alcor Life Members: $15.95 (20% discount) in the Colorado mountains, during which he delivered Number of books ______x price ______= $ ______almost 1,000 babies. Dr. Plus $4.00/book handling and shipping (US only) $ ______Grossman is a licensed ho- meopathic medical doctor and Add 20% for shipping overseas $ ______devotes most of his profes- Total $ ______sional time to running a busy nutritional medicine practice. Use your VISA or MasterCard to purchase online on our secure server (www.alcor.org) or fax (480-922-9027) or mail this form to: Alcor, 7895 E. Acoma Dr. #110, Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Dr. Grossman has written numerous articles for health- Name as it appears on credit card: ______related magazines and lectures VISA or MasterCard Number: ______frequently on topics related to alternative medicine. Expiration Date (Month/Year): ______Signature: ______

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 5 You Only Go Around Twice

by Jerry B. Lemler, M.D.

“Are you the two newest Alcor mem- Linda and Fred Chamberlain, for sug- about to complete another animated bers?” my wife and I were recently gesting I do so. Thusly, “You Only Go performance, while the much-antici- asked at Asilomar, as we unabashedly Around Twice” has its inception with pated Shannon Hoon and Blind Melon flaunted our barely 10-day-old shiny this issue. waited in the wings. stainless steel bracelets for all to Now then, since you are obvi- “See you at Woodstock III in admire. ously free at your own discretion to 2019!” Joe pronounced with a farewell “I would think so,” I instinctively turn the page, casting me aside without wave, as he exited the colossal replied, “though I rather hope not.” any discernable adverse recriminations, Saugerties stage. “So, how did you get interested in permit me to embellish just a bit, as to It was at that precise moment, cryonics?” ensued the inevitable how I was so dendritically receptive to assimilating the premonitionary words follow-up query. Drexler’s stunning propositions. of “Cocker the Rocker” that I was “Let me give you the Reader’s I was sitting on a damp, soiled blindsided into acknowledging my own Digest version,” I countered, not wish- blanket between my wife and 15-year- inevitable mortality; or so I imagined ing to drive my new acquaintance into old son, and wedged amongst what back in August of ’94. Turning 30, and R.E.M. spindles on the spot. “I was later would be estimated as 299,997 coming to grips with the end of bound- browsing in the science section of others when the light went on. And, it less youth some 14 years previously, Barnes and Noble a few months ago, wasn’t good. Just the night before, I’d had only been the opening jab. In and I picked up a copy of Eric Drex- gotten a restless 4 hours sleep in a response, I’d rearranged my early mid- ler’s Engines of Creation. Two days makeshift, self-assembled pup tent, dle years and, accordingly, managed to later, I had finished the book, and I felt after being forcibly tossed against a weather the storm’s leading squall. distinctly privileged to have an entire mesh wire fence, and herded like a Now, though, after nearly a decade and new universe open up before my eyes. sheep onto an overcrowded creaky a half of quiescence, came the penetrat- “I tried to call Alcor using the school bus, for a none-too-comfortable ing impact of a solid right hook to the phone number Drexler listed in En- 90-minute ride, all for the “privilege” chin, triggered by an unlikely pugilistic gines, but since the book was published of being stuffed into a massive, prophet, dressed not in a coat of many back in ’86, they had moved. I finally crowded field. colors but in the form of an aging rock was able to track them down over the I sensed a growing desire to star. Internet, and here I am!” brandishing urinate, but after all I’d gone through I flunked algebra twice in high my right wrist while shaking the flap- to secure a prime location for our blan- school, but being married to a former pable bracelet in tambourine fashion. ket, I dared not risk losing my position math teacher for nearly a quarter cen- at the mere expense of a potentially tury enabled me to compensatingly * * * disobedient bladder. It would have to calculate with alacrity that I’d be 69 I am positively delighted to offer wait. I was noticeably perspiring in the years old should Joe’s vision be ac- my thoughts, feelings, and general copiously muggy early afternoon air of curate. I surmised he and I both would musings on a quarterly basis in a mid August, while my mouth was require more than just “a little help standard column form, here in Cryon- ablaze with the aroma of several hal- from our friends” to make it so. ics. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank itotic ingredients. Shannon Hoon performed with our new editor, Lisa Lock, along with Joe Cocker, aged almost beyond typical reckless abandon, and then two new (yet not-so-very old) friends, recognition from 25 years before, was tragically died of an accidental drug

6 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 overdose a scant year later. After the “not feeling well.” When I returned, troductory text is tentatively titled “Im- soaking rain and the good-natured fro- fully three weeks after his burial in a mortality for Beginners,” and builds licking of the mud people, Crosby, Long Island cemetery, I was noncha- upon Reaching for Tomorrow with Stills, and Nash graced the Woodstock lantly given the essential veneer of state-of-the-art updates and the inclu- stage for the second time in 25 years information. My parents never asked sion of a newly scripted “De-Anima- and, as customary, highlighted the how I felt about the loss, though tion Ceremony.” Further details will be festival. Try as I did, though, I thankfully they hadn’t tried to deceive forthcoming in this column, and the couldn’t make myself recall ever hav- me a second time by procuring a re- projected completion date is December ing been “here before.” Then, David placement “Grandpa Harry.” of this year. Crosby nearly died shortly after Wood- Even if we don’t purposefully On the subject of books, I’d like stock, his life thankfully prolonged by whitewash the issue, like my misguided to recommend The Baby Boomers’ receipt of a transplanted liver. parents, we humans have a way, as Guide to Living Forever by Dr. Terry “Weren’t we all teetering on the perhaps most vividly demonstrated in Grossman. As a fellow physician, I brink?” I asked myself, not wishing to our commonality of language, of read Dr. Grossman’s new publication upset my son, Russell, who at age 15, I sanitizing ourselves from the gripping with an eye focused on detail. He judged, would be upset by participating reality of the termination of our earthly makes a most compelling case for cryo- in such a morbid father and son dia- existence. Let’s take a casual glance at nics and offers an in-depth rationale logue. In fact, perhaps the pervasive the many euphemistic synonyms for with concomitant strategies for staying impact of the Woodstock moment was “dead” we consistently construct. It’s a alive as long as possible, in a decidedly inescapably augmented on account of virtual struggle to say to another person easy-to-read format. my parentally imposed limited acquain- that someone they know well is ac- At the Asilomar conference, I tance with the grave. In my youth I had tually “dead.” Instead, what we usually glanced through a copy of Mike largely been sequestered from the sting hear is how they are: “no longer with Perry’s monumental work Forever for of death; arguably to excess. When I us,” “resting in peace,” “in heaven,” All, which is due for imminent release. was a lad of 12, I returned home from “gone to their eternal reward,” “with I have also read excerpts from this text, a sleep-away summer camp when I Jesus,” “gone,” “passed away,” “met as published in the latest two issues of noticed a different bird was occupying his/her demise,” “the late,” “in a better The Venturist. It’s on the high-brow my pet parakeet’s perch. I literally had place,” or “come home.” We physicians side, and you assuredly need to be spent hours upon hours with Cookie, offer little more comfort in this quag- smarter than the average bear to vainly trying to teach him to talk, as mire, as we’re prone to saying the meaningfully comprehend it. If you we both mindlessly (and silently) patient is “deceased,” or “expired.” qualify, though, I anticipate it being a listened to the annoying lady’s instruc- In my time, I too have distanced “must read,” and I am most eager to tions emanating from the portable myself from the word “dead,” to the get my hands on a first edition. I record player, coercing the bird with- point where I truly wonder if dancing wouldn’t wait for the movie on this out success to say, “Hello.” In any around such a periphery has been of one. event, when I inquired of my parents useful validity—for any of us. It cer- * * * what had happened to Cookie, I was tainly had been counterproductive for Succinctly put, Asilomar was reluctantly informed he had died while me, and promised to remain so, when especially invigorating and, on balance, I was away. fortuitously the daring world of cryo- worth the 15 hours of travel time and “I spent a whole morning at the nics came along and put a dead certain missed connections we endured (that’s pet store,” my mother complained, end to it! one way, courtesy of TWA), in ad- “watching all those birds flying around, * * * dition to the loss of luggage on the trying to find one that looked just like This writer’s pen is going to see return. We met so many fascinating Cookie. I didn’t think you’d notice the plenty of action in the coming months. people, made some new and refreshing difference. Oh,” she added, “I made a Perhaps the most significant long-range friends, and it was a genuine privilege pot roast for your first supper back at project is already under way as this to converse with the likes of Eric home.” So much for the encourage- column is being written. Reaching for Drexler, Ralph Merkle, Linda and Fred ment of grieving, and I never attemp- Tomorrow has served Alcor faithfully Chamberlain, Robert Newport, Lisa ted to cajole Cookie II into discourse. as its introductory manual to cryonics. Lock, Dave Pizer, and Steve Bridge. The very next summer my Nonetheless, it is understandably some- I dare say by now you’ve prob- favorite grandfather died, secondary to what outdated, especially in consider- ably heard enough from me. I know I multiple metastases, prolifically seeded ation of the interest and progress in have. So, I’ll be seeing you, sooner and from a cancerous prostate. I went off to nanotechnology and related disciplines later! l camp having been told he was merely over the last seven years. The new in-

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 7 fIRST THOUGHTS ON LAST MATTERS

The Place of Proselytization in the Cryonics Movement

by Michael R. Seidl

My office overlooks Rodney So imagine my discomfort at seek treatment or watch him or her Square in Wilmington, Delaware. being an Alcor member. I think that die. There is no middle ground Several times a year, religious I have information regarding a (there is, of course, a more extreme fundamentalists congregate on the profound truth—bodily “death” ground—the compelling force of square, setting up a podium and does not have to mean final death. the State, but that is subject for loudspeakers. They take turns Nevertheless, because of my liberal another discussion). testifying to their faith, and in beliefs, I find it exceedingly diffi- Having sneered so long at between the testifying they play cult to muster the proselytizing proselytization, I am slowly, by Christian rock music to pull in the spirit sufficiently to proselytize on almost imperceptible increments, younger crowd. What is probably behalf of cryotransport. I am torn coming to the conclusion that I can not very loud at ground level between my liberal ideology of no longer sit silent. As distasteful as apparently bounces off the build- non-proselytization and the terrify- I find it, I will, at last, have to begin ings in just the wrong way so as to ing facts that (a) all around me “preaching” cryotransport. I think make them sound like they are people are dying their final death all members of the cryonics move- broadcasting from my windowsill. I while I sit silent fearing to offend ment will have to as well, regard- hate this. I am not simply annoyed and (b) the movement that might less of the moral/ethical system by the fact that they interrupt my help to save me remains nascent each of you inhabits, for one of two work—I resent people who are in- and sputtering for lack of broad reasons: your-face about their beliefs, who interest. First, you may wish to prosely- think that they have the truth- Make no mistake—pushing tize because you find it morally market cornered, who touch re- cryotransport is pushing “beliefs,” uncomfortable to sit silent when ligious symbols they wear around and it does offend, in exactly the you know of an alternative their necks when they want to same way the people preaching in “treatment” to recommend, just express their sincerity. The people I the square offend. I know of no as you might recommend chemo/ associate with mostly seem to feel polite way to reconcile my beliefs radiation to a friend treating his the same way; we all agree that about cryotransport with the beliefs cancer with herbal teas. Person- people ought to be allowed to of others, just as there is no polite ally, I do not believe I have an believe pretty much what they want way to reconcile a belief in medical obligation to tell anyone any- as long as they are not acting out treatment with the belief of a thing; although I may choose to their beliefs in a way that is destruc- Jehovah’s Witness that such treat- share cryotransport information tive to others or forcing those ment should be refused. Either we with some people, it is not beliefs on others. But we do not try to compel others to take up the incumbent upon me to enlighten want to hear about it. For whatever principles associated with the world. But that’s just me. reason, testifying, preaching one’s cryotransport or we sit silent and beliefs, seems to me to be illiberal, watch them die, just as we either try Second, you may wish to pros- un-American. to compel a Jehovah’s Witness to elytize because of self-interest—

8 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 there are tremendous economies As I see it, three significant that we can make available to our of scale that we can all profit beliefs deploy in cryotransport: (1) members, to offer lists of standard from if cryotransport becomes cryostasis works—it freezes people; organizations that might be inter- more widespread. I do not mean (2) given sufficient time, our ested with contact people, and to merely in cryostasis and long- technology will develop to the provide minimal training to lectur- term storage; I mean in hundreds point where restoration of previ- ers. We need people to write of ways we cannot begin yet to ously frozen people will be techno- editorials to their newspapers and to imagine. For instance, right now, logically and economically pos- magazines they read. We need to when I get on an airplane, I risk sible; and (3) if I am properly make the views associated with my successful cryopreserva- cryotransported, I have a good cryotransport as ubiquitous in tion—if the plane crashes and chance of coming back from the everyday life as the proponents of burns or crashes over water, “dead” personally, and I want to the various religions have made there is unlikely to be anything come back. their beliefs. of my head to freeze. But planes Selling point (1) requires only Selling point (3) is the hardest are not designed with cryostasis that people change their mortuary because it requires (a) people to in mind today; at some point, practices; some people want to be take a gamble (I’ll be properly their designers concluded, “well, buried, some want to be burned, frozen, will not die in a crash over everyone on board will die when some want to be shot into space, water or from a degenerative brain the plane slams into the ground and some want to be frozen. We disease that liquefies my cortex) at 500 miles an hour regardless should approach the funeral home and (b) people to take a leap of of what we do, so let’s direct our industry and the public health faith in themselves and the world. attention elsewhere.” A genera- industry with cryonics as an alter- However, I suggest that the suc- tion of aeronautical engineers native to internment or immolation. cessful traversing of points (1) and aware of the possibility of We need to get the cost of (2) will add a significant number of cryotransport might think differ- cryotransport to the point where it people to the cryonics movement. ently, designing a fuselage to is, at least, less than interment even Point (3) is and will continue to be survive impact and extinguish if more than immolation, and it somewhat intractable, and some fires, knowing that everyone needs to be put forth with the same people, for whatever reason, will inside is dead from the force of everyday approach. Just as the still balk at that last step. I propose the impact but wishing to pre- funeral home industry now helps to that, for the moment, we put aside serve the fuselage intact to market burial plots and insurance to (3) and focus on (1) and (2)— protect the bodies within for cover funeral costs, we need to surely there is a vast mass of cryopreservation. One day, all push an active plan of cryotransport middle-of-the-road people out there airplanes may have super-strong as an alternative to traditional waiting for conversion, waiting for fuselages, passenger restraint disposal. the freezers of men and women to systems to keep us from flying Selling point (2) requires a take the place of the fishers of men. around on impact, and under-the- systematic education of people in The Gideons put a New Tes- seat crash helmets for cranial the basics of a scientific world-view tament in every hotel in America. preservation. But we will not see (i.e., technology works, it solves Let us put a cryotransport brochure these benefits—or others that we problems, it develops along a in every mailbox, an editorial in cannot imagine—with only a few predictable continuum, and saying every paper, a lecturer before every hundred active cryonicists. it “will” be able to restore people is group willing to hear us. Let us take a semantically and scientifically our Alcor medallions out from So I conclude that, for my own more reliable statement than horse under our shirts, or, better yet, find benefit and perhaps for the benefits x “will” win the Triple Crown or a new symbol, one that transcends of others, I have to preach cryo- Jesus “will” return). We need a particular cryotransport groups and transport. Going about this will be program of public lectures to that stands for the idea itself, and hard, and the purpose of this foray private and governmental groups at wear it proudly, and be ready, is to seek ideas for successful all levels, from the Rotary Club to when someone asks, “what’s that,” proselytization. Here are several the Senate. We need to prepare set to testify about life eternal. initial observations: lectures with audiovisual support l

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 9 Why Fund Your Suspension with Life Insurance?

by Rudi Hoffman Certified Financial Planner

“I expect to have the money to fund your wife, and you and she have deci- left each of his children $200,000 in my suspension in cash eventually. Mr. ded that you can spend $1,000 per his will. But Leroy wanted at least part Hoffman, why should I take out a life year toward cryonics funding. of the $120,000 Jack had earmarked for insurance policy to fund my suspen- Here is the key question. Is it better suspension! Do you think Leroy could sion?” for Jack to spend his $80 per month in find an attorney who would take this This question in some form comes a mutual fund, or a life insurance pol- case? Could the money be tied up in a up often in discussions with people icy, to fund his suspension? legal battle? Do will and estate contests with an interest in cryopreservation. Here are the facts. Jack, a healthy occur over far less controversial issues The good news is that there are nonsmoker, can create an instant than funding cryostasis? Absolutely! answers that are mathematically valid $120,000 to fund his suspension in a And these funding controversies have (i .e., not merely opinions) and that permanent Universal Life policy. Once and will continue to occur. make sense to most people. he pays 80 bucks and qualifies, there is There are other issues. If Jack is not The purpose of this article is to an immediate and sure payment to his insurable due to health reasons, he will answer this question in a clear, con- cryonics organization to assure his not be able to obtain life insurance to cise, understandable manner. Addi- suspension. The money does not go to fund his suspension, and he would be tionally, we will see that there is an the cryonics organization at the ex- forced to fund his suspension from his empirical way of determining the op- pense of the survivors. This $120,000 estate. timum funding that will appeal to most does not have to come out of the estate Most people become uninsurable at rationally minded cryonicists. Jack is leaving for his wife, Mary, and some point in their lives. It therefore Let’s personalize this with a discus- the children. Nor do they have the op- makes sense to find out how affordable sion of a hypothetical individual portunity of second-guessing Jack’s it can be to fund your suspension with “Jack,” who is a 45-year-old software choice and delaying or litigating the incredible financial leverage that developer. Jack’s wishes. only life insurance provides. In the case Okay, Jack, so you want to be On the other hand, let’s say Jack of cryonicists, the policy can truly cryogenically frozen with the possibil- puts his $80 per month into a mutual become life insurance—not death ity of future reanimation. You have fund. Even if he averages a great insurance. thought about it for some time, but return, it will take decades to generate Cryonicists tend to be life you are of a skeptical and questioning the required $120,000.* What happens extensionists who take great care of nature, and you have a constituency in if Jack is struck by a truck on the way themselves and thereby can usually the form of a wife and family who are to work tomorrow? There is no full qualify for the best possible insurance not at all sure if you have not gone off funding, and Jack will not be sus- rates. (I spend a good deal of time the deep end and do not share your pended. explaining this information to insur- enthusiasm for the possibilities of What if Jack lives long enough to ance companies!) technology. have adequate funding in his account? In conclusion, for most people it You want to create $120,000 for a When Jack “dies,” there is $120,000 makes sense to use life insurance to full-body suspension with Alcor. You that Jack has earmarked for his sus- fund the exciting possibilities of are excited because your mutual funds pension. But this $120,000 is a much cryonic suspension. l have been growing well, your career is clearer target for any of Jack’s poten- taking off, and you expect to be ser- tial heirs to contest. * $80 per month = $960 per year $960 annual payment iously wealthy in the future. You want Jack’s kids all turned out great. Ex- 12 % after tax compound yield to do the best thing to assure your cept for the youngest, Leroy, who felt 25 years to grow to $128,001 funding. You have negotiated with the world owed him a living. Jack had (22 years at 15% after tax yield)

10 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 A non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) California Corporation

Alcor’s Mission: Alcor Update The Preservation of Individual Lives

Medical Director: Thomas Munson, MD BioTransport Purchases Medical Advisory Board: Terry Grossman, MD CryoStar Freezer G. Mario Isidron, MD Ravin Jain, MD Jerry Lemler, MD Robert R. Newport, MD In late July 2000, Alcor’s Patient Care Bay Anthony Pizzaro, MD received a new piece of equipment pur- Scientific chased by BioTransport, Inc. The freezer Advisory Board: shown could accommodate up to 12 K. Eric Drexler, PhD (more likely only 6) neuropatients in a Bart Kosko, PhD vitrified state at between -130° C and James B. Lewis, PhD Ralph Merkle, PhD -140° C. At this temperature, the patient’s Marvin Minsky, PhD brain would be expected to be in a “glasslike” state rather than containing a Patient Care Trustees: very large number of tiny ice crystals, David Brandt-Erichsen Gary S. Meade, Esq which present-day thinking suggests could Carlos Mondragon only be restored to normal function by Warren L. Robertson Robert A. Schwarz nanotechnology. BioTransport has also purchased all Alcor Board of of the constituents for improved base per- approach can only be applied at the Directors: fusates and very advanced cryoprotec- “neuro” level presently. In order to Stephen Bridge tants, paying an additional $10,000 li- make use of this procedure, the member Linda Chamberlain cense fee for use of these formulations. has conditionally consented to the Hugh Hixon Gary S. Meade, Esq Both varieties of “freeze blocker” from switch of options, in the interests of Ralph Merkle, PhD Twenty First Century Medicine, Inc. better brain protection. Michael Riskin, CPA, PhD (21CM) have also been purchased, as Alcor is still studying how to price this advanced neuro option, termed Advisors to the needed with this approach to combat cry- stallization. Immersion fluids for very ra- “neuro-plus” by some of those who are Alcor Board: pid cooldown have been procured, as ad- developing the procedure. The option Kathleen Cotter, DC vised by 21CM, and Alcor’s cooldown may require a level of funding compa- David Greenstein, OD Joe Hovey apparatus is being modified (at BioTrans- rable to “whole body.” Also, the Cryo- Carlos Mondragon port’s expense) for this procedure. Star freezer is only the first step along Judy Muhlestein the road of studying how to eventually Mark Muhlestein In a recent Alcor suspension, surgery Stephen Van Sickle was pioneered for making use of this provide neuro-plus storage at costs that “vitrification” approach with neuros. One are equivalent to those for today’s neuro Alcor Officers: Alcor Member has consented to have this option. If that can be achieved, then it is Fred Chamberlain, Pres. procedure applied in the event of need, possible that the vitrification option may Stephen Bridge, V. Pres. Michael Riskin, Treas. instead of the more standard approaches. be opened for existing members with Linda Chamberlain, Secy. Interestingly, the member is signed up for neuro arrangements, without a need for a “whole body” procedure, but this increased funding.

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 11 ALCOR’S MEMBERSHIP GROWTH

by Mathew Sullivan Facility Operations Manager

I’ve noticed in recent conversations and through various media that most people are a little confused about member- ship growth and growth rates. 1) Having a high growth rate is relatively easy when you don’t have many members to begin with. 2) The definition of “membership” can vary widely, making cursory comparisons difficult. Some organizations include in this definition such categories as those already in cryostasis, associate members, subscribers to ancillary services, etc. Alcor is much more restrictive in defining members, including only those who have full Looking at the details, 1985 was a banner year in Alcor’s cryotransport arrangements. membership with a growth rate of 61.4%, a net increase of 27 new members, which was largely due to the absorption of the Cryonics Society of South Florida. But if we were to add 27 new members to Alcor’s current membership of 504 (as of July), that would be equal to a growth of 5.3%. Alcor’s growth rate in 1999 was 8.2%. 1991 was also an important year with a net increase of 90 members, which was an increase of 45% (larger actual number than in 1985, but a smaller percentage of the total). Many have argued, however, that high growth in the late 80s and through the early 90s was a combination of the publicity from the Dora Kent crisis and that Alcor raised its suspen- sion minimums. The increase in suspension minimums helped to create a burst of new members who wanted to be To illustrate point 1), the best way to look at Alcor’s grandfathered into the previous pricing structure. long-term growth is to imagine an empty swimming pool that is being filled with a hose. Initially, the percentage of filling (growth) is very high. Liquid levels double in a matter of seconds, but then doubling quickly stretches out from seconds to hours.

Between the early and mid 90s there was a dramatic drop in our growth rate, culminating in 1994 with a net loss of 14 members. Many believe this was primarily due to the split that led to the formation of CryoCare, in the same year that Alcor moved to Arizona.

12 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 Others have countered this argument and stated the de- cline in growth was due to the increase of suspension min- imums and that our current pricing structure is too high. If this were the case, that price is more important than quality, our largest competitor would have a membership base in the thousands. You would not expect to see Alcor’s membership base larger than all the other organizations combined. If Al- cor and/or the entire industry were making money hand over fist, you would expect to see new venture capitalists entering the market in an effort to capture a share of the profit. This certainly is not the case. By March 1995, according to Joe Hovey’s notes (Alcor’s As you can see, most of those who are in the sign-up bookkeeper), Alcor had a total of 89 ex-members since process have been there no more than a few years. The about 1990. 52 members had switched to CryoCare, 17 were remainder have been in the sign-up up process for 8 or more can-celled for non-payment of dues, and 20 were lost for years—a result of an old policy that allowed individuals to miscellaneous or unknown reasons. begin the sign-up process with a one-time payment. This was Alcor’s average growth rate per year since the split has later changed for obvious reasons. been 6.3%, or a net growth of 25.6 new members per year. More recently, our membership has surged upward to Not nearly as high as we would like, but we are steadily 504 members, an increase of 21 members in two months, or growing. a net increase (minus losses due to non-payment of dues, With the recent influx of ex-CryoCare members, you funding inadequacies, etc.) of 16 for this year so far. In spite might expect to see a spike in membership growth. In fact, of more productive follow-up and an improved marketing net growth in the first half of 2000 has dropped slightly due approach since 1998, this was a surprise in light of all the to the fact that Alcor’s staff have performed an exhaustive cleanup of funding inadequacies that resulted in lost mem- overhaul of the membership files and have found a number berships. We had expected overall membership growth to be of members whose financial arrangements were inadequate. largely stagnant for the year as a tradeoff, to strengthen Many of these situations are being resolved, but a number of Alcor’s long-term stability. others have resulted in cancellation of membership. So, if you hear someone preaching that the sky is falling, Although secure funding is important for Alcor’s long- that our movement is dying, ignore them because the term viability (see article by Linda Chamberlain in the 2nd evidence clearly states otherwise. l quarter Cryonics) it is always a serious matter to see a mem- bership cancelled, and it does have a long-term effect on the growth rate. Alcor The graph below is useful to the extent of predicting possible growth trends, but it certainly does not guarantee Membership Status them. When an individual starts the sign-up process, it does Alcor has 504 Suspension Members (including not necessarily mean he or she will become a member. 109 Life Members), and 39 patients in suspension. These numbers are broken down by country below.

Subscribers ApplicantsSubscribers MembersApplicants Members

Country Country

Argentina 0 0 1 South Africa 0 0 1 Australia 12 3 6 Sri Lanka 0 0 1 Austria 1 0 2 Switzerland 0 0 2 Brazil 1 0 0 Taiwan 0 0 1 Canada 12 3 11 U.K. 26 6 8 France 0 0 1 U.S.A. 445 72 226 Germany 3 1 2 The value of the above graph increases by cross-refer- Ireland 0 0 1 Italy 0 2 2 encing when the applicant started the sign-up process (see Japan 2 0 2 next column). If most applicants had been in the sign-up Netherlands 2 3 1 TOTALS 504 90 273 process for many years, one might consider conducting a Russia 0 0 4 review to find out if there was a problem. No. of Countries: 18

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 13 Asilomar Conference

by Fred Chamberlain President/CEO, Alcor

“I think on a technical front, we Beach golf course in Northern Asilomar can handle conferences of really need to gain acceptance for California. The next two days were up to 1,000 persons, but the Alcor two ideas: one, that there is very filled with presentations and infor- Conference attendees accounted for little damage, or that we can mal discussions on extending life about half of the tables at each preserve physical structure with spans, with no thought of simply meal. We were clearly the largest very little damage, and second, giving in to near-term mortality. event in progress, at the same that we can restore damaged Modern and restored rustic conference center that hosted the structure, that we can in fact lodges were sprinkled along a historic debates on control of restore extensive structure.” hillside of tall pines, interspersed genetic engineering in the early with conference halls of all sizes. 1970s. An extensive dining hall filled with In each of the lodges, gather- large circular tables permitted the ing areas with couches and other attendees to share meals with one seating, along with pianos, pro- another on a convenient basis, no vided a way for special interest ordering or waiting. Theoretically, groups to explore ideas informally.

Strongly emphasizing the implica- tions of nanotechnology for cryotransport with words like this, Ralph Merkle introduced Eric Drexler as the Keynote Speaker at Alcor’s Fourth Conference on Life Extension Technologies at Asilomar, California, on June 17th, 2000.

About two hundred persons, many of them scientists and physicians and about half of them Alcor Members, had gathered at scenic conference grounds by the Pacific Left to right: James Swaze, Rob Frietas, and Ralph Merkle Ocean, just north of the Pebble

14 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 nated. In the Sunnyvale area, a few hours away, other Alcor rescue team members were alerted and preparations were made to deploy a set of transport equipment, if needed. The partner of the “down- ed” member was a certified team member herself, having been part of the group that performed a standby and cryotransport opera- tion less than a year before. Even the downed member was trained and certified as a rescue team mem- ber. As the member and his partner were being loaded into the ambu- lance, an Alcor physician and I were already on our way to the hos- pital to set the stage for a standby if needed. It turned out that there was no need for that, and the member was fine, but it was reassuring to Late Saturday afternoon, in a One event, among all the oth- know that so many hands were reserved area by paths to the beach, ers, highlighted the conference. Just there, ready to help if the situation an outdoor meal (BarBQ) brought before the Saturday evening pre- had become critical. everyone together at picnic tables, sentation and panel discussion, one for what has to be the largest such of the attendees briefly lost con- The synopses of talks that fol- event so far attended almost exclu- sciousness and fell, striking his low are brief and cannot begin to sively by those who envision head. Inside the conference hall, as capture the full content of the themselves as prospective star the news of this came to me, the presentations, but they may give travelers, centuries hence. (Remem- first question (naturally) was “Does you at least a glimmer of the scope ber, this was no science fiction that person have an Alcor bracelet and quality of the speakers and convention. It was a purposeful on his wrist?” their subjects. In time, vid-eotapes gathering by a very high-tech The answer was “Yes!” In the of selected talks will be made community in which the members next few minutes, over a dozen available, and these summaries may are creating and using practical certified Alcor rescue team mem- help you decide which you will means for life extension.) bers were gathered and coordi- want to obtain.

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 15 K. Eric Drexler, Ph.D., asserted that the brain might be “Our Evolving Definitions of Foresight Institute rendered irreparable by ischemia, Death: Looking Ahead” freezing, and many other hypoth- “Treating someone who is dead as esized mechanisms. Eric acknowl- if they were alive is almost as odd edged that such damage was as treating someone alive as if they irreversible by present technolo- were dead! Given the gravity of gies, but he repeatedly returned to these two potential errors, it’s a the question of whether or not, in wonder that there isn’t more public any way that could be convincingly debate about the lines we draw demonstrated, information essential between life and death!” to the reconstruction of the brain and restoration of memory and James Hughes, Ph.D., a sociologist identity was “erased” by freezing. and bioethicist, thus introduced the difficulty of the blurred distinctions “The Conservative Treatment of Transient Inviability; or, Your emerging in the context of cryo- Computer Crashed—Shall I stasis, and then moved into a number of principles that lie be- Throw It Out?” neath our current civil behavior and Keynote Speaker Eric Drexler chal- related the life-death distinction to lenged anyone to offer proof that the increasingly controversial “freezing erases the brain.” perceptions of levels of conscious- Many in the audience sug- ness in animals, a central issue in gested mechanisms of freezing that animal rights activities. Dr. Hughes might erase the brain, but none then turned the focus of his discus- could offer evidence that in fact this sion to topics related to cryostasis, does happen. The point that Eric set The advice Eric gave, at the end of his talk and after considerable connecting this with various evolv- out to establish, and relentlessly ing definitions of the word “death.” argued, was that we cannot dispute interaction with the audience, was that in order to reach the future, if “Whole brain death” was an the possibility that our “minds” are earlier standard, for example. It had conserved by preserving our brains, one could not stay alive to do so with the help of current medical many flaws, gray areas in which an though he admitted the uncertainty unending controversy now exists. of recovery. technology, one should at least stay “intact” (through cryostasis)! Dr. Hughes noted a protocol now in In leading up to his challenge, use leading to a “non heart-beating Eric contrasted the preservation of cadaver,” for permanently uncon- brains for future recovery by scious coma victims. This suppos- cryobiologists vs. molecular scien- James Hughes, Ph.D., edly converts an ambiguous state of tists. He observed that early at- death (acknowledged irreversible tempts at manned flight were Trinity College, Hartford, coma) into a less ambiguous state guided by ornithologists, prior to Conn. (also Webmaster for the of death (cessation of heartbeat) by the emergence of aeronautical Medical Ethics Center, Dept. of the removal of the respirator and engineers, and that success in Medicine, Univ. of Chicago) waiting two minutes beyond manned flight was only achieved cardiac arrest. Then organs are when birds were abandoned as the harvested. Consent of the family is best models. In like manner, Eric required. In effect, he said, “Who is asserted, the recovery of persons kidding whom?” He pointed out preserved by present technologies that many of the leading pioneers in will require technologies far be- this field are fed up with intermi- yond those entertained in our nable debating of nebulous issues present thinking in terms of medi- like this. cations and the preservation of Dr. Hughes stated that it biological viability. should be of interest to cryonicists Arguments from the audience that organ transplant teams are per-

16 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 mitted to insert cannula and admin- Will there be subjective criteria? nicists, or can be easily replaced, ister anticoagulants while the Continuity of consciousness will be then suddenly you have the entire patient is still alive, prior to conver- sure to figure, he said, but how? medical profession allied with you, sion of coma victims to “non heart- Finally Dr. Hughes examined and very strong interests because of where all of this was going. In a the shortage of organs for organ slide titled “Threats to Liberal donations.” Individualism,” he itemized the “Cryonics could be simply dilemmas to include (1) Conscious- viewed as a donation to medical ness Desaggregation; (2) Memory science, where you specify that you & Personality Malleability; (3) really don’t want to be part of the Identity Cloning; (4) Identity control group, but part of the exper- Sharing; (5) Distributed Identity; imental group” (following from and (6) Group Identity. He also Ralph Merkle’s description of what pointed out that at major bioethics cryonics in essence is). “It would conferences, many issues of emerg- be extremely low cost, in fact I beating cadavers,” even though ing technologies are simply not would think that hospitals might these procedures have nothing to addressed. He invited the attendees foot the bill for a large part of it.” do with prolonging life. Proposals to get involved in these discussions Dr. Stock’s basic approach is are now being made to eliminate at an early stage, so as to influence to bypass the step of organic the necessity of going through the decisionmaking that could easily reconstruction entirely and rely on ritual of removing the respirator affect them. “strong nanotechnology” to recover before taking the organs. (It is sufficient information to fully important to remember that these emulate the behavior of the brain protocols are considered ethical Gregory Stock, Ph.D., before final loss of conscious, thus only with long-term coma patients, (from the standpoint of identity where even brain-stem functions UCLA School of being a dynamic process) restoring may have been supplanted by ICU Medicine the person concerned to conscious- technologies for keeping patients’ ness and the experience of “life.” bodies alive.) Would it even be practical to In terms of fundamentals, Dr. achieve biological reconstruction, Hughes said he thought many of by comparison with the relative these arguments would spread ease of uploading? This was a key upward into distinctions of biofun- question for Gregory Stock. damentalism vs. transhumanism. “Before you reach that point, Then he suggested that cryostasis the line between biology and bring about an even further broad- technology has to be very blurred, ening of definitions. Will the degree if not having disappeared almost of damage upon cryotransport lead entirely; and in fact I think that pure to a number of levels of “death? “Who’s Afraid of Freezer Burn?” biology is going to seem extraordi- What about the prospects for narily primitive and that there are reanimation? Will a person be “Freeze the head, but donate the all sorts of limitations to purely treated as “dead or alive” in terms organs! If the head is not frozen, no biological structures. And it’s not of changing probabilities of even- organs!” clear to me, from the vantage point tual recovery? How does this of that changed environment, that intersect with assisted suicide? This was, in essence, one of the one would even really want to be a The complexities can only suggestions Greg Stock had for biological creature. I think much of grow. Dr. Hughes pointed out that getting the cooperation and accep- this would be the case for the at some level of loss of memory tance of the medical community. possibility of uploading, and the and identity, a line will have to be “If you let medicine do whatever it technologies required for that, but it drawn between a repaired cryonaut wants with the parts that are really would definitely be the case for the and a virtual clone. How to do this? not going to be any use to cryo- requirement of biological recon

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 17 struction; and you know, there’s a response was, “If you can do that, pointed out, are common to animals question of what the status of of course, that changes the whole as well as (possibly) forms of plant purely biological creatures, hu- ball game!” life. They become part of our “self mans, would be relative to a far definition,” and our “self defini- more advanced machine realm, if tion” is a fiction of our own cre- you postulate those kinds of devel- Robert T. Newport, M.D., ation, interfering with our moment- opments.” BioTransport, Inc. to-moment perceptions that (with The audience, while express- those distractions and limitations) ing various levels of skepticism and are the only source of our self concerns that improved cryopro- definition. tection might answer the problem, In extended discussion, Dr. seemed open to the idea that we Newport pursued the question of have to be prepared for a future in self perception and all of the things which our current views of “hu- that might stand between reality man” will be progressively out- and how we in fact perceive our- dated. Accepting the possibility of selves. There is no good way to uploading while the person concer- summarize the content of this ned was still alive, questions arose presentation, but there is one area as to “who is the real person?” Dr. in which quotes may be helpful— Stock, in some interactions with the dealing with Dr. Newport’s hypoth- audi-ence, found himself having to esis that birth trauma is instrumental take the conservative position, pro- “The Fear of Death and Its in our reluctance to pursue life Impact on the Rational Process” bably a different situation than with extension. (The excerpt below is most audiences to whom he speaks. from Dr. Newport’s talk. The text is “The age of immortality available in its entirety at http:// looms,” began Dr. Newport. Then, www.alcor.org/Fear.htm.). he addressed the question of why “The vast majority of all of us, most do not sign up for cryonics, or 95% by some estimates, are almost drop out. “The fear of death pro- completely irrational when it comes vides polluted data which interferes to ourselves, and live within the with our ability to be fully alive, confines of the synthetic ego, and prevents our making rational limited by our own self definitions, decision about our own lives!” In our own self story, attentive to compact form, this introduced a mostly the sound of our own wide range of topics exploring thoughts, and thereby disconnected James Swaze – “No matter how motivations, rationality, and values from the incredible machine that is good the simulation may be, I’ll affecting decisionmaking about life know it’s a simulation!” the body and from the fabulous extension. computer that is our own brain. “Most of us, most of the time, Unhappy, full of existential angst, believe that we know what we Conversely, some in the low grade misery, anxiety, depres- audience could not relate emula- mean when we say I, myself, me. sion, missing out on the full joyous That is to say, most of us believe tions of mental states to the identi- experience of being alive, unaware that we know who we are.” By ties of humans and questioned the of the origin of our misery, but, reference to the difficulties of this, validity of “simulations” as substi- most likely willing to talk about it tutes for biologically sentient including a summary of many and explain it all day long. Why? personality models, Dr. Newport entities. One of the speakers on “Stanislav Grof, a Czechoslo- pointed out that confidence that we cryobiology pointed out that vakian psychoanalyst, working “know ourselves” is highly illusory. approaches immediately on the abroad in the 1960s, induced horizon might permit recovery “Content of awareness” we can altered states of consciousness in a know. But the full extent of “what without the need for strong large number of psychiatric patients we are” will be far more difficult to nanotechnology, and Dr. Stock’s and found that the patients had define, if at all. Emotions, he

18 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 access to memories and symbolic “In all cases, the experiences III, they cannot maintain hope in experiences that had heretofore were remembered as traumatic and their own future. been entirely unconscious, many the arousal was experienced as “Many of you might say ‘I dating to the first few weeks of terrifying. Known to all, now, came to cryonics because it’s the neonatal life and including long simply as the Birth Trauma, in most only rational course of action, it has forgotten (or repressed) physical cases this constitutes the first nothing to do with fear or love.’ To traumas. Very many, included conscious content involving pain- which I would respond, ‘Your intra-uterine experiences of a close and-adrenaline-prompted arousal, thinking rational mind outlined the encounter with death. which in our later years we come to course, but it was your emotion that know as fear and rage. This is the moved you. Joy has the potential to first experience of the FEAR OF make it worth staying the course. DEATH!” Fear—conscious, subconscious or This fear is extremely uncom- unconscious—does not. It will only fortable, Dr. Newport explains. kill you in the end.’” When parents see this in the many forms it takes, they shut down our expressions of it through shame or Glenna Burmer, M.D., humiliation, which just makes Ph.D., LifeSpan matters worse. What are the conse- quences? Quoting Dr. Newport: BioSciences, Inc. “The chronic illnesses, hyper- tension, gastritis, ileitis, colitis, auto-immune disorders of all kinds, “These experiences Dr. Grof anxiety disorders, depression, constellated and called Basic Peri- (depression is diagnosable in 10 to natal Matrices and classified them 25% of the adult population at any into four stages. BPM I through IV, one time), hormonal disorders, and which corresponded to the four cancer. Have I covered everybody main categories of experiences of in the country yet? Not quite, well every human being’s early life. E.g. let’s add ten million alcoholics and BPM I: Intra-uterine peace, support, substance abusers.” and nuturance. BPM II: The begin- Methodically, and with a sense “Identifying Aging Genes by ning of the birth process when the of compassion for those caught in Using DNA Microarrays” earlier peace is rudely disturbed by these many traps, Dr. Newport uncomfortable contractions about continued to explore the underpin- Founder and Chief Scientific the head along with a change in the nings of resistance to the idea of Officer of LifeSpan BioSciences, chemical composition of maternally “living on indefinitely.” He con- Dr. Burmer started by talking about supplied blood due to the rapid cluded with the following two “discovery”—in particular, the first hormonal shifts which bring about paragraphs: inklings that microorganisms the labor, and emotional changes in “People are moved to cryonics existed in the early days of the the mother (who is understandably one of two ways: by the LOVE of microscope. Now, the search is for aroused). BPM III: The progressive life, or by the FEAR of death. I genes that have to do with aging, agony of being squeezed into the suspect, and I will shortly be and how to control them, to keep us birthing canal. Squeezed to the conducting a study to either affirm young. point of death, Squeezed, slowly or disabuse myself of this notion, Of the 100,000 genes in the crushed, to the very point of death. that those who drop out once human genome, only about 10,000 (Sounds like some medieval tor- signed up were motivated by the have been classified as functional ture.) And BPM IV: The shot of fear of death (conscious or uncon- and the rest are as yet a mystery. adrenaline and the release from the scious) and have finally gotten tired Dr. Burmer pointed out that al- vagina into a very novel and harsh of living an unhappy, fear-driven though she has “twenty top-notch light of day. life. Having had no hope in BPM bioinformaticians analyzing” genes,

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 19 they are barely scratching the you how this is done. And then we robots our target is really 500 to surface. map it. We map exactly what cell 1000 genes a day, which means Decoding the genome is what type has that gene turned on. We that in the period of about a year, BioSciences is all about, Dr. map whether or not that gene is we will have localized all the genes Burmer said. This is true whether turned on in disease, and whether it in the human body, to all the tissue it’s for big pharmaceutical compa- is not present in normal. You can types in the human body.” That nies as clients for near-term drug identify cancer genes this way, gave the audience a clue as how it development, or for themselves, rheumatoid arthritis genes this way, might be possible to tackle the where aging is the arena of study. Alzheimer’s genes this way. And I problem. While the complexity of However, even though the genes will talk about how this is done.” the problem boggles the imagina- are becoming accessible, they must This should give you an idea tion, the speed with which Dr. be mapped into the body. To quote of where Dr. Burmer’s talk started! Burmer is plowing into this investi- Dr. Burmer: The rest of it was a detailed analysis gation is equally awesome. “The simple fact of the matter of how her tools could be applied An audience survey rated is that the human body has over to the problem of aging. Gene Glenna Burner’s talk at the very top 1,500 cell types; we have over 200 expression vs. aging in various cell of the list. All of the quotes in this organs; the brain itself is probably types raises fascinating and tantaliz- review probably account for no 50 organs, minimally; and in ing possibilities, yet this also opens more than one minute of actual addition to that, each cell of those up new questions and enigmas. speaking time, and of course it’s cell types is expressing 20,000 to Trends show up and beg to be not practical to include any of the 50,000 different genes. So, decod- explored. Strong up-regulation of many colored visuals she used in ing 100,000 genes into the blue- specific genes in aging suggests her talk. (Get the video, when Alcor print of the human body is really that therapies could be designed to makes it available, if you want the the complexity of the task we have reverse aging, but hundreds of full picture.) to work with. genes show this kind of behavior. “What do you do with num- Near the end of her talk, Dr. bers like 100,000? Well, the easiest Burmer showed four genes whose Michael West, Ph.D., thing to do is put them on some expression seems highly correlated Advanced Cell Technologies kind of chip. And so what we do is with aging, in over 140 different clone these genes, put them on a tissue types. The genes are not chip, and then we take pieces of related to mutual biochemical diseased tissue, pieces of normal pathways, based on current knowl- tissue, grind it up, make a probe out edge, yet they all seem to have of it, and then look to see what something important to do with genes are turned on or off in a aging. “Why these genes are disease. We thought this was the related, we don’t have a clue!” Dr. Holy Grail about three years ago, Burmer said. when we started down the path of In other cases, she pointed out DNA chip technology, and what that there are strong correlations I’m going to explain is that it’s not between multiple genes that are the Holy Grail, it’s “step one.” And biochemically related and impli- “Human Therapeutic Cloning” step two is decoding it. cated in the aging of specific “What we are doing is what we tissues. But still, this is only one Drawing parallels from ancient think is the next step, after DNA piece of an enormous puzzle. Is chip technology, which is really there any hope of addressing these Egyptian history, Michael West first foreshadowed the recognition of what we call molecular pathology. problems in a time scale compatible germ lines as immortal colonies. And that is actually identifying with near-term solutions in aging? Then, he observed that the somatic genes we think are up- or down- Dr. Burmer put it this way: regulated in a disease process, we “What we are in the process of cells by comparison have almost no such potential. Clearly, the differ- then take that and then go directly doing is building high throughput ences had to be matters of gene into human tissues, and I’ll show tissue chip robotics, and using these expression, he pointed out, and this

20 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 pointed to some very fundamental can do things we’ve never been engineering the germ line, a lot of differences that should be subject to able to coax cells into doing before. people get nervous, including me. discovery. The exciting thing is, of course, Where are we headed with all these Telomere shortening was a think of the combination of being technologies? Now, first, I’d like to distinctive difference between the able to make even a complex tissue point out that I believe this is an two classes, and it soon became that you might need, that’s your ethical use of these technologies. clear that this was a universal own, won’t be rejected, won’t need We’d have to talk longer than we characteristic of somatic cells. to take immunosuppressants the have today on the ethics. The When telomerase, which causes rest of your life, and that are young. reason I think it’s ethical is evi- telomere length to be maintained, That have been taken back in time dence from nature. was added to lines of somatic cells, and had their whole life span back “Nature teaches us that at the their capacities to maintain the again. There are a lot of steps stage of the blastocyst, this little colony were similar to those of true necessary to make all this happen. ball of cells that I showed you a germ lines. Was this the answer? “We’ve been working hard on couple of times, that individuation, As a founder of Geron Corpo- the de-differentiation step, the a person, a human being, has not ration, Dr. West pursued this line of therapeutic cloning step, the formed. How do we know that? If investigation with the goal of anti- nuclear transfer step. There’s many you take that little ball of cells and aging applications. The results were other steps involved. Selecting out divide it into two, you get identical encouraging, and he now is con- the cells, genetically modifying twins, and that’s how identical tinuing this work through a new them in some cases, growing the twins form. As you know, about corporation, Advanced Cell Tech- stem cells, and then selecting out one in three hundred live births are nology (ACT) in the Boston area. the lineages of cells you need and identical twins. Happens all the The present focus is on medical making the particular cells and time. therapeutics vs. direct intervention tissues that you want. We’re hard at “It’s also possible that two in aging, but the issue of cellular work in all these areas. separate fertilized eggs can bump aging remains a critical factor. No together in the fallopian tube and one would want an “old” organ as a merge together, and then you get transplant, and early observations unnatural chimera. Two human of Dolly (the first cloned sheep) beings in one body. If that happens indicated that there might be a at this stage, they’re a normal problem—shorter telomeres. Would human being. You wouldn’t even there be a way around that? notice it, could be one eye’s green, ACT, Dr. West said, had one’s blue, but you could look in indeed found a way around the their cells and see that there are two problem. Cows cloned by his persons, two different people in that present method do not exhibit one person.” shortened telomeres. Their telom- This above quote is a “flash- eres are actually longer than a sample” of what Dr. West’s talk normal newborn’s. Exactly how the “It’s important to remember, was like. He explored many ethical cloning process is handled so as to though, you know, there’s many and technological enigmas, in a achieve this was not discussed. The applications to these new technolo- fascinating way, in terms of both comparative telomere length data, gies. One, for instance, you could human therapeutic cloning and however, was shown. It is not also make besides somatic cells, other emerging genetic possibilities necessary to create entirely new you could make a reproductive cell that will be far more controversial. organisms or individuals. By the On the bottom (referring to the “Where to draw the line?” will be correct guidance, the new tissues slide) you could potentially make the question in many of these areas, can be guided into forming the an oocyte. For a woman of any age. but one I think Dr. West made replacement tissues or organs Essentially, you can get around clear. The use of human therapeutic needed for therapy. Quoting Dr. menopause. cloning will not only be an extre- West: “Now, when we start talking mely potent tool for improving our “These cells are, in a sense, about the germ line, genetically well being, but it will be far less magical cells, in the sense that they controversial, far less likely to be

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 21 slowed down, than many other restrains ice formation. With suffi- Dr. Fahy, backed by more than areas which will soon be open to ciently rapid cooling, he showed thirty years of active interest and application in human reproduction. that a glasslike or “vitreous” state study of cryobiology, began with could be produced, with custom the statement: molecules developed in his labora- “The central focus of research Brian Wowk, Ph.D., 21st tory. at 21st Century Medicine is to Century Medicine Inc. Dr. Wowk described the ap- cryopreserve large, complicated proach developed in his laboratory systems, the larger and the more by which ice formation can be by- complicated, the better. But we’re passed entirely. He also pointed out going to be starting with something that an even more difficult problem relatively practical—namely, whole exists in rewarming, where the organs. This would also include glasslike state has the tendency to artificial organs, engineered tissues, be replaced by a crystalline or “ice- if Mike West is successful, perhaps like” state as it is heated, “devitrify- cloned organs that are prepared in ing” with destructive effects on the advance of need and have to be cells. Using dynamic molecular stored. In any case, it’s a finite “Molecular Control of Ice computer models, he showed in problem and potentially could Formation” animated analysis how his well- chase after a very huge medical designed, protective freeze-block- market. But we’re the only group in “We may be able to stop ers could help with rewarming. the world, as far as I know, that’s freezing cryonics patients right The talk was highly illustrated actively pursuing this, and this now!” but very complex. On the other requires that we try to do some Dr. Wowk woke up the audi- hand, it dealt with the crux of what things that other people don’t have ence with that statement, but he did was on the minds of many of the to face and deal with.” not mean that members of cryo- attendees: What are the possibilities Brain preservation was the transport organizations should that a procedure can be done so focus of Dr. Fahy’s talk. In contrast cancel their arrangements. Rather, well, that most scientists and to the broader market suggested by he quickly stated that better meth- physicians of today can see the the quotation above, it was evident ods than freezing were not just on potential of this approach and that the driving motives behind the the horizon but, figuratively speak- endorse it? Dr. Wowk’s presenta- research and the long-range goals ing, “approaching the pier.” tion was evidence that hard science were dedicated to the challenge of Recently it has become practi- was addressing the challenge of protecting something not normally cal, through research at Dr. true suspended animation. thought of as a transplantable Wowk’s laboratory, to used ad- organ. vanced materials to virtually elimi- Hippocampal brain slices were nate ice during cooldown to cryo- Gregory Fahy, Ph.D., 21st the initial model discussed, where genic temperatures. He showed Century Medicine, Inc. the task was to find optimal cryo- comparisons of biological materials protective agents. Dr. Fahy com- protected in this way versus earlier mented that chilling injury was methods and illustrated the arrange- investigated, and one important ments of molecules that made the finding was that perfusion at 10° C better methods possible. eliminates chilling injury, and is yet Ordinary cryoprotection significantly better than results at combats freezing by lowering the 15° C. freezing point, but Dr. Wowk Mannitol concentration was pointed out that sophisticated optimized, and kidney preservation proteins can be included in small perfusates were evaluated in the quantities, akin to natural “freeze- work Dr. Fahy reported. Excellent blocking” compounds that protect “Cryobiological Research at 21st results were obtained at 50% arctic fish and insects. This further Century Medicine” continued on page 46

22 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 The donaldson perspective

Why Memory?

by Thomas Donaldson, Ph.D.

I have spoken at Cryonics confer- memories that differ... and that just standing of those wet messy bio- ences and in writing about the might end up destroyed either by chemical devices we call brains. importance of memory to us: how it events prior to suspension or So what do we do here? And really works and what memories suspension itself. Some other what reasons for hope might exist? cryonic suspension may preserve... factors may help us keep our The easiest path for future or not preserve. Partly because I memories: unlike electrical circuits, suspension consists of working out was not able to attend the latest neurons often have many connec- some form of suspension that Conference at Asilomar, I will here tions with one another rather than clearly preserves memories. Be- discuss memory and its importance just one. For a memory to survive, cause brains of all mammals work once more. Moreover, simply it may not need all connections. Yet much the same, if we can suspend supposing some kind of computer if our memories consist only of rats (say) and have them remember uploading totally fails to solve our special connections between our training that they had before, then problem, as I shall explain later. neurons (not those present in we’ll have means to preserve The easiest way to see everyone) then those memories memories on suspension. (Freezing memory’s importance comes from might well become seriously parts of brains isn’t enough: We realizing that virtually all neurosci- disrupted. Suspension may change may well have to go as far as entists would now agree that the number of connections between freezing whole brains to verify memory is shown in the connec- two neurons and their locations on preservation of memory.) Such an tions between neurons. Neural net the axons and dendrites enough to achievement, at least in Dr. Greg computers basically operate in disrupt any memories those neu- Fahy’s opinion, is not so far away similar ways: their learning consists rons may hold collectively. (Greg is a major cryobiologist, not of marking some connections In terms of revival I see no just a cryonicist). It won’t totally between neurons as particularly difficulty in preserving conscious- solve our suspension problems, but important and others less important. ness, even though we don’t yet it is certainly an important step. (Our brains either grow new con- understand the brain circuits in- However, we clearly do not nections or they do not: an impor- volved. Yet if suspension wipes out have that ability at present. Just tant and critical difference). Clearly, all your memories, will you remain how long it will take to acquire for neural net computers, destruc- the same person? Suspensions may such methods remains unknown, if tion of enough of these connections even disrupt memories rather than only because the cost and time will wipe out any learning they’ve destroy them, so that your memo- required to develop them unfortu- done, i.e., destroy their memory. ries turn out not just to be totally nately are high, and the isue has not This issue becomes even more false (and remember that you will gotten as much attention from important because we know that in think them true) but even fantastic cryonicists as it should. Moreover, brains, the great majority of people and absurd. Nor does uploading cryonic suspension can often occur have identical major connections into computers help at all: we still as an emergency operation, in between brain regions: it is the new need to recover our memories, which the equipment (whatever it connections for their individual which requires much more under- will turn out to be) isn’t there or is

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 23 only half there. So there will always neurons use glutamate, while other computer processing. This latter be cases of people suspended by neurons (interneurons) do not. means that it isn’t enough for you older and less ideal methods. Sure, Could it be that those others, not to work out that the car speeding such cases will grow less and less our pyramidal neurons, play the down the highway will hit you... frequent, but they will still con- major role in memory storage? after a year of processing. You tinue. Furthermore, what about all Some neuroscientists think so, and must do so soon enough to react, those suspended before we have those neurons may survive our and not only that, you must actually such suspension methods? primitive forms of suspension much react. Whether that may someday Given the beliefs of virtually better than pyramidal neurons. be done by something we would all neuroscientists, recovering Another recent series of call a computer remains unknown; memories for suspended patients discoveries shows not just how it’s easy to state how brains differ will require individual attention. neurons grow new connections but from computers: growing new Individual connections between even more striking, provides more neurons, forming and destroying neurons may be able to be recov- instances of neurons losing their connections. So far as I know, such ered by using a much deeper connections (WT Wong et al, devices may not even fit the re- understanding of brain anatomy CURRENT OPINION IN NEURO- quirements Turing suggested for a and chemistry than we now have. BIOLOGY 10(2000) 118ff; M computer. As for any present ideas, It’s not that such understanding will Segal et al, TRENDS IN NEURO- to find out how to read someone give automatic recovery, but that SCIENCE 29(2)(2000) 53ff). Such into a computer as a functioning the connections between two loses, which apparently happen creature requires much more particular neurons might be recov- quite easily, may ultimately raise knowledge of how brains actually ered by knowing their special questions about just how our brains work. geometric and chemical relations to store memories. Neuroscientists Unless we can avoid these one another. Since we need not just talking now about how memory questions about memory by finding the connections between two works may ultimately turn out to be some suspension method that neurons but those between millions, wrong, and the required experi- guarantees survival of a patient’s that recovery will probably require ments on living animals remain memories, we’ll inevitably have to a highly parallel computer, larger quite difficult[1]. And if other learn more about how brains than any that now exists in terms of chemical factors play a necessary preserve memories. And even if we number of processors (but possibly role in preserving special connec- can (usually) use such methods, only the size of a PC due to tions for a true long-term memory, they cannot benefit former patients, nanotechnological construction). that will tell us that simple preserva- and there will always be some The point to remember here is that tion of connections (using embalm- patients suspended by primitive we’re never dealing with just two ing chemicals, as some have methods. How human brains work arbitrary neurons: each has a suggested) may ultimately fail. will remain an issue for us indefi- position in the brain, with some Some additional words for nitely. l parts remaining and others not, and those who envision being read off many chemical signs may survive into a computer also need saying. to show that a connection existed First of all, we have no way at [1] The earliest papers show- between the two. Their geometry present of reading off memories ing growth of new neurons in adult and chemistry will differ from any from brains (as distinct from pro- mice, by Altman and Das (J COM- other pair ... so this problem is ducing a machine that acts like you, PARATIVE NEUROBIOLOGY hardly a simple one. with your memories). Second, any 124(1965) 319ff). Many doubted And could current neuroscien- device which really is to be you this work, though later work has tists actually not have as good a requires several things computers verified it. The earliest work show- handle on how memory works as generally lack: an ability to sense ing changes in neuron connections most think they do? Perhaps. One and interact with the world (includ- over 1 month comes from Purves neurotransmitter important to ing the drives you have: hunger, and Hadley (NATURE 315(1985) memory can also play a major role sex, etc.), consciousness, and most 404ff). in destroying neurons: glutamate. of all (for those who bring up In our brain cortex, pyramidal Turing’s work especially) real•time

24 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 TechNews by R. Michael Perry, Ph.D.

An Exciting Summer century; 2005 became the settled of rather simple matching opera- date. The effort was plodding along tions. The human genome, consist- It has been a big summer, with the far behind schedule when, about ing of a total of about 6 billion base announcement of the long-sought 1998, the newly formed and pri- pairs, is divided into 46 subunits, or goal of mapping of the human vately funded Celera Genomics got chromosomes, consisting of inde- genome and other interesting into the act. Celera, it turned out pendent pieces of DNA and sup- advances. Here are some high- (the name, by the way, comes from porting proteins. (An individual lights. a Latin word meaning “swift”), chromosome is usually also further used a nifty new technique that complicated by doubling of its HGP had overlooked, which DNA strand; the two strands remain Mapping the human genome. produced more rapid results. The physically attached.) Each chromo- A major scientific milestone, the folks at HGP were scornful at first, some thus averages around 130 nearly complete mapping of the then they realized just what a million base pairs. A chunk this human genome (the chemical base- serious threat this posed to their size is far too large to map in one pair sequence for human DNA, own prestige and credibility, and operation using today’s techniques, which in turn determines the size, swung into action. At the day of so it must be broken down further, internal structure, growth processes, reckoning, June 27, HGP was which is an uncertain operation and much of the functioning of the claiming they had mapped 85 because at present we lack tools to human organism) was announced percent of the genome, while carry out controlled cutting at this in the media June 27. Hailed by Celera claimed 99 percent. On the scale. In the shotgun approach the British Prime Minister Tony Blair as face of it, I’m inclined to think both whole genome, chromosomes and “the first great technological estimates are reasonably accurate, all, is first cloned many times over. triumph of the 21st century,” it is so at this point Celera is probably The copies are then broken up into expected to provide a starting point leading the field, though their rival random fragments of a few hundred for much progress in medicine over can still claim some respect. Both base pairs each, which is within the the coming decades. groups, of course, deserve credit feasible mapping range. The An interesting feature of the for whatever work they did, which fragments are mapped and com- new milestone is that it was not the in either case was substantial. pared by computer, and matching accomplishment of one vanguard The competition clearly was pieces fitted together to reconstruct group but, instead, two competing good for the overall result, which the complete sequence. By anal- research teams who struggled, might have taken much longer if ogy, we could imagine assembling sometimes bitterly, for the scientific either side had been going it alone. one perfect copy of a book from credit, then finally agreed to share As a publicly funded group, HGP is many torn fragments, each of it. A closer look at this suggests a committed to making its results which contributes some part of the most interesting tale that I expect to freely available to the public. Cel- missing text, and which can be be chronicled in book form eventu- era is not similarly bound, though it fitted into the whole by matching ally. For now a very brief summary has promised to make most of its with other, partly overlapping text will have to do, based on my own human genomic data available to fragments. The alternate approach, impressions from reports I’ve read. scientists without charge. used by HGP, called for insertion of Basically, first you had the multina- Something is worth saying numerous chemical tags or markers tional Human Genome Project here about the method used by throughout the genome first, to (HGP), a publicly funded effort Celera in decoding the human establish a frame of reference for started in 1990. It was supposed to genome. Called the “shotgun” mapping. Celera’s success showed finish mapping the human genome approach, it exploits the power of that this extra step was unneces- sometime early in the twenty-first computers to do gigantic amounts sary.

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 25 The Human Genome Project is teraflops (6 x 1012 floating point within the flask or can be pushed being conducted under the guid- operations per second). It is ex- back and forth to achieve the effect ance of the National Human Ge- pected to be installed sometime in of a spring. The method holds nome Research Institute in Bethes- the second half of next year. It will promise not only for miniaturiza- da, Maryland. Celera Genomics is be used by various scientific tion of machine components but based in nearby Rockville. Both disciplines, including materials also for virtually frictionless mov- groups were expected to publish science, climate modeling, and— ing parts that never wear out. A their findings together in the journal importantly—biological sciences. scanning tunneling microscope is Science in early September. The use of supercomputers raises used as a positioning tool to ma- hopes that such advances as slow- nipulate the nanotubes. ing and reversing aging will not Where to go from here: better take as long as some have pre- computers. dicted. Precise, efficient insertion of genetic material into DNA. Mapping the genome was a major scientific feat, but by itself it does New step toward nanomachines. little to improve the quality or duration of human life. Much more Among the many anticipated work will be needed to augment applications of nanotechnology are and translate the new genomic supercomputers that would far knowledge into useful applications. outclass those of today—and More generally, there are many perhaps be far smaller than pinhead hard problems to be confronted in size to boot and serve as the brains mastering the secrets of biology. of tiny, mechanical robots Dr. Alan Lambowitz Source: molecular level, where such pro- wide range of useful functions. Such possibilities are still a dream cesses as aging and illnesses must A very interesting development of the future, but progress toward be understood if we are to obtain relating to DNA insertions was nanodevices is continuing. A the degree of control we are seek- reported in the July 21 issue of significant share of this progress ing. Here we are confronted with an Science by a team at the University almost unthinkable complexity. The involves the carbon nanotube, a of Texas, Austin, headed by Alan tiny, elongated cage made of human body, for instance, contains Lambowitz. It involves the use of 28 chemically bonded and interlocking about 10 atoms, which means that “introns”—pieces of genetic debris carbon atoms. Nanotubes appear to it could be subdivided into a trillion that litter DNA and may interrupt 24 trillion or 10 pieces, each of have many possible uses, among the coding of many genes. Some them being structural components which would consist of enough introns, though, have another for tiny machines. In a simple way atoms—10,000—to make a fair- interesting property, which is the an important step toward such sized molecule. There are no easy ability incorporate themselves into answers, but help in various forms machines may have been taken double-stranded DNA. (Initially an recently. Researchers at the Univer- is on the way, one being improve- intron consists of a length of single- sity of California, Berkeley, work- ments in computers, which should stranded RNA together with reverse ing with telescoping nanotubes of have many important uses in transcriptase. The incorporation of differing bore or thickness, report addressing this vast complexity. the intron into DNA transforms the creating tiny bearings and springs. Toward this end, the National intron itself into a double-stranded Initially the nanotubes are formed Science Foundation announced form, but also preserves its original concentrically, one inside the other, August 3 that it had awarded a $45 “message,” or pattern of nucleotide into a multilayered tube that is million grant to the Pittsburgh bases.) Moreover, the self-insertion closed at either end. “Peeling” or Supercomputing Center to buy of introns can now be precisely clipping the outer layers of one end what will be the world’s most directed to specific sites in a length powerful, nonmilitary super- yields a flask holding an inner, still of DNA or a whole genome. This intact, multilayered tube. This inner computer. The machine is to be clearly is nanotechnology in action, tube can then be rotated freely built by Compaq and will rate at 6 and of a sort that could soon lead to

26 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 medical applications. The introns impossibility under classical phys- and thicker with age, but this alone use a sequence, or “address,” ics. The superposition of states is a would not preclude retention of consisting of about 14 nucleotide well-established phenomenon over focusing ability. Conventional bases to recognize the desired small distances but had not been wisdom says the lens simply insertion site, which is located by a previously observed at the macro- hardens, losing the flexibility that matching operation as the intron scopic level because then it requires permits it to be focused by the explores a length of DNA. Chang- an isolation of the system from tension of the ciliary muscle that ing the address sequence—modify- surrounding effects that is very surrounds it. But this is questioned ing the intron—results in insertion difficult to achieve. This raised the by others, some of whom argue that at a new matching site, assuming possibility that it would not occur at the real culprit is that the progres- one can be found. The method all at these larger scales, so that sively enlarging lens can no longer holds promise in treating AIDS, quantum theory itself would be be stretched enough by the sur- among many other possibilities. found inadequate, like its classical rounding muscle to be adequately The AIDS virus itself can be dis- rival, and some new theory must be focused, though it still remains abled, as has been shown in experi- sought. Now, however, simulta- flexible. An advocate of this view is ments with mammalian cells in neous, macroscopic quantum states Dr. Ronald Schachar, a Texas culture. Genes that encode a protein have been observed—currents ophthalmologist and physicist. In the virus uses to infect cells can flowing in opposite directions in a the early 1990s he devised a also be altered to lose their lethal superconducting loop—which meet controversial procedure known as property. More generally, the the stringent requirements of scleral expansion surgery for possibility is opened of genetically quantum coherence, in which two reversing presbyopia. The eyeball modifying specific sites while or more ongoing, independent is expanded slightly to stretch and leaving others unchanged. Previ- processes happen in parallel. In tighten the ciliary muscle so it can ously, precise gene targeting could addition to reinforcing quantum again focus the lens. To accomplish only be done in one mammal, the theory, the result is significant for this, four small pieces of curved mouse, and very inefficiently, the continuing effort to perfect a plastic are implanted in the sclera contrary to the present method. quantum computer, which requires (white of the eye) surrounding the that different computational pro- iris. To date several hundred have cesses execute simultaneously in a undergone the procedure, with Quantum superposition: macro- single device. The work was carried generally favorable results, and scopic states observed in parallel. out at the State University of New clinical trials have been scheduled In a loop of superconducting wire, York, Stony Brook, under Jonathan in the United States, where the electric current flows indefinitely R. Friedman and colleagues. procedure is not yet approved. One unless stopped from the outside. happy recipient is 60-year-old Dr. The current may flow in either Stephan D. Plager, himself an direction. Based on classical phys- Reversing presbyopia. ophthalmologist, who had the surgery done in Mexico last March. ics, though, we’d be inclined to say One effect of aging that seems that the current cannot flow in both universal and has usually made its Two days later, glasses discarded, he was doing cataract surgery in his directions at once. But here is appearance by age 50 is presbyo- office. Eight days after that he read where classical physics parts pia, the inability to focus the eyes a newspaper aloud to a reporter and company with the newer and more on nearby objects, such as a printed comprehensive quantum theory. page. (Generally the ability to focus said he was seeing better than he had since age 35, despite some That in turn requires the superposi- on more distant objects is retained.) minor blurring that seemed to be tion of different states of a system, Actually, presbyopia does not just clearing day by day. and this property is essential in strike in the 40s but may be said to There’s a little more to this explaining many effects at the start in adolescence, though its story—another, entirely different atomic and subatomic levels. For effects are usually not serious solution to presbyopia is now being example, two atoms that are chemi- enough to impair one’s reading sought, which is to simply replace cally bonded “share” one or more until decades later. Its exact cause the lens of the eye with something electrons, which are simultaneously is still in dispute. It is known that better. Replacement lenses are bound to the different atoms, an the lens of the eye becomes larger

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 27 routinely used to treat cataracts, in experience life-threatening emer- New York City. The chief scientist which the natural lens becomes gencies that prevent them from responsible for its development is cloudy and opaque to light. But the summoning help. Other possible Dr. Peter Zhou of Digital Angel.net, replacement lenses currently in use, uses range from tracking endan- Inc., a subsidiary of Applied generally of hard plastic, are of gered wildlife to locating stolen Digital. l fixed focus and thus can only property. A demonstration of the cause, not cure, presbyopia. Hap- device is planned for October in pily, this may be about to change. C & C Vision of Irvine, California, has developed a flexible lens of SOURCES: silicone that restores vision at all Mapping the genome: Douglas Birch, “Scientists Draw Complete Map of Human DNA,” Baltimore Sun, reprinted in distances, says president J. Andy Tribune (Scottsdale, Ariz.), 27 June 2000, A1. Corley. About 200 experimental Juan Velasco, “Different Routes for a Finished Map,” NY Times Online, 27 June 2000. surgeries have been performed ; already, with reportedly good . results, and clinical trials have started. FDA approval is estimated Better computers: John Markoff, “$45 Million Grant Awarded to Buy Supercomputer,” NY Times Online, 4 to take 2 to 3 years. August 2000. ; referred to by Doug Skrecky, CryoNet #14246 (5 August 2000).

Implantable transceiver offers in- Step toward nanomachines: stant, remote patient monitoring. “Researchers Make Microscopic Parts,” Associated Press, 27 July 2000, 9:31 p.m. (I thank Lisa Lock for sending this article—MP.) A tiny, implantable transceiver John Cumings and A. Zettl, “Low-Friction Nanoscale Linear Bearing Realized from Multiwall offers the twin prospects of moni- Carbon Nanotubes,” Science 289, 602-4 (28 July 2000). toring a patient’s vital signs and determining the patient’s location. Insertion of genetic material: Dubbed the Digital Angel by its Nicholas Wade, “DNA Innovation Lets Team Undermine the AIDS Virus,” NY Times Online, 21 July 2000. . Inc. of Palm Beach, Florida, the Evelyn Strauss, “Targeting Intron Insertion into DNA,” Science 289, 374 (21 July 2000). device is smaller than a grain of rice and equipped with a miniature Huatao Guo et al, “Group II Introns Designed to Insert into Therapeutically Relevant DNA Target Sites in Human Cells,” Science 289, 452-57 (21 July 2000). antenna to track such data as heart rate and pulse. It can then broadcast Quantum superposition: the data to a ground station with an Kenneth Chang, “Here, There and Everywhere: A Quantum State of Mind,” NY Times Online, Internet connection, and can also 11 July 2000. . receive data from the Global Gianni Blatter, “Schrödinger’s Cat Is Now Fat,” Nature 406, 25-26. Positioning System, which would Jonathan R. Friedman et al., “Quantum Superposition of Distinct Macroscopic States,” Nature be used to determine the patient’s 406, 43-46. location. (The Global Positioning System, or GPS, consists of 24 Reversing presbyopia: Julie Sevrens, “Surgeons Claim Reading Glasses Are Nearly Passe,” orbiting satellites that broadcast . precise timing information to dif- Peggy Townsend, “New Sight for Old Eyes,” . signals will be delayed by varying Abigail Zuger, “Reading Glasses, as Inevitable as Death and Taxes. Or Are They?” NY Times amounts depending on where they Online, 8 August 2000. or . the receiver can be determined to within a few feet.) The value of this Implantable transceiver: “Digital Angel TM Breakthrough Technology Goes Live!” ; referred to by Eugene Leitl, CryoNet #14267 (8 ment; it would be especially useful August 2000). for people living alone who might

28 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 The Feeling of What Happens: Body and Emotion in the Making of Consciousness By Antonio Damasio Harcourt, Brace, 1999 Book Review by Thomas Donaldson

Damasio has Damasio bases his theory kinds of brain damage might written an almost entirely on his own work produce similar lack of conscious- interesting with brain•damaged patients. These ness in human beings. speculative include not just those lacking me- Another feature of these states book about mory, but also those lacking other also deserves description: patients how our con- brain regions. Loss of some brain with this automatism also show no sciousness regions causes coma, others cause emotion during their automatic works. Even loss of memory for particular activity. Damasio suggests a simple to explain his classes of object. Other kinds of reason for this: core consciousness, major thesis I damage cause a person to lose spe- and feelings, come from very close must describe cific memories: they recognize a or even identical brain areas. He his definitions person in general, but cannot rec- goes even farther by suggesting of major terms: core consciousness ognize their relatives. that core consciousness itself con- is a primitive and basic form of Most important, loss or damage stitutes a feeling, the feeling that I consciousness which uses neither to some brain regions causes loss of have feelings and knowledge. His memory or language. Some patients core consciousness, of which discussion provides strong reasons with neural problems may only Damasio cites two cases: epileptic for this idea. Yes, it is a feeling of have core consciousness; a signifi- automation and akinetic mutism. In which we normally fail to be aware cant number of animals probably epileptic automation, patients show unless we pay attention to how we also have it. Extended conscious- all signs of being awake, and may feel. The book’s title, The Feeling ness brings in such things as even perform actions as complex as of What Happens, gives this point memory, particularly memory of rising from their chair and going exactly. His discussion, in general, one’s own experiences. Patients outside. Yet they show no signs of pays lots of attention to emotion, devoid of hippocampus on both knowing who or where they are. pointing out that feelings of one sides of their brain have core con- This automatism can go on for only kind or another, strong or weak, sciousness but no extended con- a few seconds or for several min- never leave us, even when we do sciousness. Damasio also distin- utes. Anything the patient does reasoning that may seem to lack guishes emotion from feelings: during it he or she will have com- them entirely. emotion is visible to others and pletely forgotten when he comes His arguments with other consists of the external signs of out of it. Damasio suggests that notions of how consciousness “emotion” as normally considered. such behavior gives an example of works all proceed from careful Damasio uses feelings to describe total lack of consciousness while analysis of one or another kind of the internal signs of emotion know- remaining awake. One point he brain damage, together with a deep able only by the person who has makes here is simple: most people knowledge of what we know about emotion. Finally, objects refers would not attribute consciousness activities of the various regions in broadly to virtually anything: spe- to ants or paramecia, even though our brains. One nice feature of his cific pains or emotions, people, they can show emotions, follow objects in the narrow sense (ham- trails, and so on. Seen from that mer, window). perspective, it’s likely that some (continued on page 31)

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 29 The Baby Boomers’ Guide to Living Forever: The Promise and the Future Impact of Trying to Live Forever By Terry Grossman, M.D. The Hubristic Press, 2000 Book Review by Mike Perry

This book is one of a growing claimed beneficial purposes. The number that takes seriously the dilution factor is often so great that proposition that immortality may be it is unlikely that a single molecule achievable, through remedies for of the active ingredient remains in aging and other afflictions, in the solution at all! This, I think, is lifetimes of many of us now living. going too far, though the author is Particular focus is on those born in enthusiastic. “The fact is that the years 1946–1964, the Boomer whatever its mechanism, homeo- generation. Many of us in cryonics pathy really does seem to work, are in this group (myself included), and this has been proven again and and have seen our hopes alternately again in double blind placebo fade and brighten over the years as controlled studies. The fact that we discoveries about aging have do not understand its mechanism slowly piled up, while it and other relates more to our own level of biological killers remain at large. scientific ignorance regarding “Slowly,” of course, is a energenics, quantum physics and relative term, and arguably does a subatomic medicine.” disservice to those who are now I am not keen on “subatomic producing astonishing discoveries medicine,” and I have been unable in the biological fields, with the to find any journal papers reporting ever-present promise of indefinitely rado and California that specialize positive results of double-blind extending our lives in good health. in anti-aging medicine and chela- testing of homeopathic medicine. In any case the book is fully in tion therapy. (Here and henceforth I But I did have a chance to speak to sympathy with the immortalist use “author” to refer to the princi- Terry Grossman at the recent Alcor position that we want to survive to pal author, Terry Grossman; actu- conference in Asilomar, and this see the end of aging, or failing that, ally there are ten coauthors.) The provided some additional perspec- take steps through cryonics so that book, then, is in some degree tive. He said that homeopathic we can be reanimated, cured of our promotional, though it is not written remedies were not always so afflictions, and go on living. The in an advertising style and its diluted as to exclude the original right course to follow, then, is overall tone is reasonably dispas- active ingredients, and that small straightforward: do what you can to sionate and objective. amounts of said ingredients still hold off aging and meanwhile, get Anti-aging medicine, though, present, could be responsible for signed up for cryonic suspension. is presently a controversial subject, the claimed effects, or some of Both approaches are advocated, and some of the approaches advo- them. However he did not come though the greater part of the book cated in the book seem particularly across as a strong proponent of is taken up with anti-aging medi- open to criticism. The most glaring homeopathic medicine. He said it cine. This is to be expected for, as to me is homeopathic medicine, in had been offered because his the author explains at the begin- which “very dilute” solutions of clients wanted it, but that since the ning, he operates clinics in Colo- certain substances are used for book was written he has discontin-

30 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 ued it. for delaying senescence still seems organizations is provided too.) But generally, what is now to be calorie restriction, which is In other areas, such as dieting, known as antiaging medicine I see unpleasant for many but that is the the book offers what appears to be as a grab bag of various substances way it is. Your approach, whatever sound practical wisdom. Its philo- and treatment modalities whose it is, may gain you a few extra sophical outlook is bright and effectiveness, at best, is often years, which is of greater signifi- hopeful. Its weaknesses would, I unknown. Separating placebo from cance with today’s ongoing think, make it an easy target for more substantial effects has not progress in the biological sciences, critics of the idea that substantial been undertaken with the care and but it could still be too little, too life extension is a serious prospect objectivity it should have been. In late. So again, it makes consider- for our time, but in the long run it any case, a fact acknowledged by able sense to also have cryonic should not matter much. Good the author is that there is no pres- suspension arrangements in place. technological approaches will drive ently available strategy that can The book is to be commended for out the questionable, and progress hold off the aging process very taking this latter idea seriously. A continues. In the short run, the long. Interventive therapies that major section, extending to several book will provoke some thoughtful might be able to accomplish this, chapters, is on “immortality medi- consideration of the issues it ad- such as use of telomerase to reset cine” and offers details about dresses. The thinking person can the cellular aging clock, are possi- making suspension arrangements, benefit, knowing that all opinions bilities for the future but remain including funding through life must be weighed objectively and undeveloped. The best bet today insurance. (A list of cryonics not simply accepted as dogmas. l

(Donaldson, continued from page sciousness and cannot exist without many of the more recent techniques 29) it. (CT scans, MRIs) to see brain One notion of the brain areas activity in undamaged people need discussion consists of diagrams involved in consciousness proposes to be used to verify his arguments. of those brain regions suspected to that some part of the reticular Animal experiments may also help: play a part in the features he dis- activating system (an area in our just as they suggest that some cusses. For instance, some neuro- lower brain which, among other species have core consciousness scientists have suggested that even functions, plays a major role in they may specify (and perhaps core consciousness requires lan- whether we’re awake or asleep: strengthen) some of Damasio’s guage; Damasio argues against this damage to some parts causes proposals. by discussing patients who have permanent coma). Damasio specifi- He wrote his book to be read by lost all ability to speak or read and cally does not claim this area plays those interested in consciousness understand, but still show many no role in consciousness, but he but not experts in neurological signs of what he calls core con- does claim that other areas must be science. If interested, you’ll find it sciousness. He also tells of other involved also (and gives a brain fascinating. Most important for our patients with lesser language faults. diagram to show the areas and why own concerns, we want not some- He gives other arguments, too, they play such a role). Damasio one to be revived, but ourselves. against any notion of language also does not identify one special That may come only with our causing consciousness, all saying brain area with consciousness, revival with extended conscious- that core consciousness is definitely suggesting instead that even core ness (which requires survival of not linguistic. Later in the book, he consciousness depends of operation many memories), but core con- discusses extended consciousness, of several brain areas. sciousness remains essential to such again by looking at patients who Damasio doesn’t claim he has a revivals. The book also has exten- lack part of it: some cannot name complete answer to the problem of sive notes with bibliographic objects of specific kinds, others consciousness. He explicitly points citations, and an Appendix on cannot remember their past. Each out that he’s considering conscious- relevant issues about the anatomy of these many kinds of conscious- ness itself, not what he calls ex- of human brains. l ness exists on top of core con- tended consciousness. Moreover

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 31 Visions of the Present, Visions of the Future, Visions of Unbounded Life LifeQuest Fictional stories reprinted from the late 1980s

The stories that follow appeared in LifeQuest, a semi-annual collection of life extension fiction, from May 1987 to November 1990. They ranged from practical cryotransport dilemmas to far-reaching possibilities of uploading, nanotechnology, and the deep-time aspects of living in space colonies. The contributors comprised a rapidly broadening group of authors at the time publication ceased in 1990.

Now, in a special section of each issue of Cryonics, we bring you reprints from past issues of LifeQuest, along with new stories contributed by authors from our wide readership and other sources. If you are a professional science fiction writer, or even if you are not, we invite you to submit your stories for possible inclusion.

Table of Contents

BLUE by Anthony Dunn Artwork by Tim Hubley (Original Publication) ...... 32 BLUE by Anthony Dunn RE-CREATION By Fred Chamberlain “We’re losing him, we’re losing him.” The soft female voice sounded frightened From Issue #9, Nov. 1990 ...... 40 and distant. The bed was firm and warm under my back. It seemed to contour itself around my body, supporting every inch, every nook and cranny of my six-foot frame perfectly. BACK ISSUES OF LIFEQUEST The gossamer touch of a thin fabric sheet betrayed its presence on my chest. It was Issues #1 & #2 are already taught and tight, faintly restraining. “On the Web” ...... 43 “Cortical response weakening; he isn’t going to make it.” Panic in her voice this

32 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 time. sleep. “I know,” she replied. “I just hadn’t It was day time. At least it was light. Where am I? realized the feeling was mutual until Even with my eyes still closed it was now,” and she leaned over to kiss me. bright enough for me to be able to see * * * That was eight years ago. Eight years that. I didn’t remember going to sleep; I Spring was always my favorite time of setting up home together, sharing our didn’t remember laying on this bed. to fly over London. The green ocean of lives together, building our careers Where am I? Richmond Park stretching out beyond together. We had gone from university to The thoughts seemed to crawl slowly the houses of Putney and Wimbledon European Space Agency to working on into my mind, accompanied by a sharp looked at its freshest and brightest early the NASA Mars team together. It had stab of fear and a swaying, falling sense in the year. Catching sight of it from the been eight good years, but three months of disorientation. early morning flight home from the States ago it had gotten even better. After years Where am I? was the best time to see it. of trying, after years of not getting The only way to find out is to open An hour later and thirty miles south pregnant, of doctors and therapies and my eyes and look. and you were driving out of Gatwick disappointment, along had come Jacob— They won’t open. I want them to, but Airport. At the end of the motorway a son for Carrie and Jack, doting parents, they won’t, Why? My arms, my hands, approach road I was always tempted to at last. my legs—none of them move when I tell turn south and head for Brighton and the My four weeks at work in the States them to. Oh God why? Nothing moves, coast. To escape back to the haunts of had been exciting but frustrating. A nothing’s moving. In a stream of youth. The pebble beach, the pier, double shift—Joe’s wife was sick, really jumbled, panic-filled thought, one jostles mingling with the crowds of day trippers sick, not going to get better sick. I had to prominence. Nothing’s moving, not escaping from the capital. That’s how I “volunteered” to cover his two weeks so even the slow, rhythmic rising and falling had first met Carrie. She was down for the that he could spend a last few days with of my chest. I’m not breathing. week with her friends from Harrow. I was her. All in all I had doubly missed Carrie, “He’s dying, really dying” said only sixteen; she was older than me, by and missing so much time out of Jacob’s another flat, dull, bored voice. “I told you ten days. Her short dark hair, ebony skin, young life had been almost too much to he was too weak, waste of time; he was and graceful movements were the bear. He was only three months old, but always going to die on us.” opposite of my pale complexion, blonde the image of his smiling face, the sound Dying? hair, and gangly clumsiness, but where of his cry, the twinkling of his blue eyes, I’m dying; that was why I wasn’t we differed in appearance we were alike were etched into my mind and soul. breathing. in mind. Space was everything. Not many I wanted—no, needed—to hold “Time to pull the plug; no need to people were really interested in peering Jacob in my arms again and feel his head waste anymore on this one.” The dull at Mars through a telescope and keeping rest on my shoulder, hear him breathe, voice again. up with the latest interplanetary mission, slowly, contentedly, in dad’s embrace. No, no, I don’t want to die, not going but we were. Although he wasn’t old enough to really to die, got to breathe, just got to breathe, I knew from the first minute that I appreciate the U.S.A. Teddy Bear I had one breath, just one deep breath. Show saw her that I loved Carrie; when she bought him, I was sure he would learn to the dull one he’s wrong. Got to breathe. smiled at me it made the world a happier love it. “Switching off support systems,” the place, but, at first, I could never work out I had bought two bears, both the dull voice said. if she loved me or even really liked me. same except that one held a Stars and “Wait, please.” The soft female Our shared interests had kept us close. Stripes and one a Union Jack, but on the voice, pleading this time. Then it was university that broke us up flight back a four-year-old sitting “He’s dead, D.E.A.D.,” the dull one and, brought us together. She was opposite me had seemed to fall in love replied. studying at one end of the country; I was with the British bear, so, amid mild I’ve got to breathe, got to breathe, at the other. We didn’t talk for three protests from her parents, I had given it to don’t want to die, not going to die, got to weeks. I was being strong, missing her, her. She had looked happy and waved breathe. needing her, but too stubborn or stupid to ‘bye to me as I left the arrivals lounge. I Shards of sharp ice fill my lungs, call her. reached over and stroked the soft, freezing but invigorating, fresh air Then one day she was there, in my artificial fur of the remaining bear where sucked in through painfully dry mouth room, unpacking her bags and making us it sat in the passenger seat and smiled as I and nose. It smells of clean sheets with a tea. thought of it nestling next to Jacob in his faint aroma of hospital waiting room. “I’ve changed colleges, I’m here bed. “Yes!” The female voice, excited, now,” she said without stopping the I only took my eyes off the road happy this time. unpacking. ahead for a moment, just a second or two, Somewhere in the distance an alarm “Oh,” I replied. but when I looked up the lorry was began to chime. It seemed to get softer “I missed you,” she said. hurtling toward me across the central and softer. I’m falling slowly in a long “I love you,” I blurted out. reservation, smashing through the crash ever-darker descent, falling quickly into She stopped for a moment. barrier. The metal of my car made a

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 33 strange, high-pitched squealing sound as “Too heavy,” he said softly, as if to move. Still it felt good to be alive, again. it crumpled and crushed under the himself and then looked at me. I couldn’t wait to tell Carrie should just impact. “Hello Mr. Roberts.” He waited for a would not. There was no pain. Just an instant of reply. Two hundred and fifty years. It was a shock and fear and then darkness. I stared silently at him as his breath- long time, too long. I was alive but Carrie The bed felt warm against my back. ing eased. would be gone, long gone. Even Jacob The air smelled clean. My mind was still “Hello Mr. Roberts.” He spoke would be dead. I could still see his baby filled with dreams of crashing cars. slowly, carefully, as if he were trying his face in my mind. His smile . . . my baby Where am I? best to speak clearly in a foreign lan- son had grown old and died before I had Hospital, yes hospital, it had the guage. ever had the chance to know him. The faint smell of hospital. The crash was real “Hello Mr. Roberts.” He began feeling of joy sank in an instant, and the and now I was in the hospital. This time again. cold touch of misery took its place. my eyes did open. “I can hear you,” I replied, and tried Carrie, Jacob were both dead and gone; to smile. The muscles in my face hurt. I what was the point of me having sur- * * * winced in pain and they hurt even more. vived? The room began to darken. In the The bright light hurt; everything was “Try not to move; you’ve been gone distance an alarm began to gently bleep. blurred. It seemed like a hospital room, for a long time; it will take a while for “Medical emergency!” the doctor small, white, and filled with bleeping things to work normally again.” shouted out. machines. High on one wall was a win- A long time. How long was a long It didn’t matter. Everyone was gone. dow with something written in bold let- time? The doctor sat and stared at me. it didn’t really matter what happened to ters across it. The name of the hospital? “How long?” I asked. me. The light dimmed and then every- It was still too blurred; was it St. “I’m your resuscitation supporter. thing went dark. Agnes or Charring Cross? The blurred I’m here to help you recover and return, images coalesced into more distinct slowly,” he replied. * * * shapes. The writing became legible. “How long have I been . . . dead?” I The morning routine always started ALCOR RESUSCITATION FACILITY, it asked again. the same way. A slow awakening from read, and below it, in smaller letters, “Suspended,” he corrected me. “For a dreams of death or images of Carrie and “Welcome back.” long time,” he answered. Jacob all long gone now but still fresh in The bleep, bleep, bleep of machines “How long is a long time? Please. . .” my mind and heart. pushed the images of crashing cars from I was in no condition to make demands; “Good morning Mr. Roberts.” Doc my mind. ALCOR RESUSCITATION pleading was my only option. sat in his chair. FACILITY? Suspension was cutting-edge He placed the fingers of his left hand “Call me Jack,” I suggested for science. Resuscitation was, at best, against his temple and looked at the wall exactly the thirty-first time. A whole decades away. To be in resuscitation I behind me. He shook his head and then month of mornings since what I now would have had to be frozen. I would nodded as if having a conversation with thought of as my awakening. have had to be dead, but I wasn’t dead—I someone. “What would you like for breakfast was alive. The image of the lorry careen- “You were badly injured; there was Mr. Roberts?” ing toward me flashed back. The instant barely enough good material to store.” “Call me Jack.” of shock and the darkness. Could that “How long?” I repeated. He stifled a laugh. “We don’t call have been it? Was this it? He looked at the wall again. His lips anyone a Jack these days, well, not un- Carrie had laughed when I first moved rapidly but silently. Whoever he less . . .” His voice trailed off. joined. She didn’t believed that it could was talking to, however he was talking to He said strange things like this all ever work. Too many problems, too many them, his body language showed that the time. “Linking to the node,” “im- ifs and maybes was all she ever said when they were arguing. printing information,” “upgrading I tried to talk her into signing up. Had it “It’s too soon—you’re not ready for implant,” but he would never explain really worked? it,” he replied. what they meant. The wall farthest away from me held “Please.” I tried to sound more The days had settled into a pattern. a door. It opened. A tall, thin, middle- plaintive this time. Breakfast followed by exercise in the aged man in a long white doctor’s coat He shrugged, glanced at the wall, little gym in the room next door and then came in. He walked slowly, painfully, and then looked at me. two hours of catching up with the past. toward me and sank into a chair. His “Two hundred and fifty years,” he Two hours of watching old newsfilm of breathing was hard as if he had just run a said in a matter-of-fact way. events that had happened after my two-hundred-meter sprint. Beads of Two hundred and fifty years. It had suspension. perspiration hung on his forehead. worked! I was alive, and it was the future “Early Martian Colonies today,” he He wiped the sweat away from his already. I wanted to laugh, cheer, run said with an air of excitement. icy blue eyes and over his bald, dark around the room in celebration. Except I knew Mars, or least had known scalp. everything hurt, and I couldn’t really Mars. The imaging software on the first

34 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 sample return mission had been mine, information you’re not ready for would the gym. It looked exactly like the other well at least partly mine and several be catastrophic. Emotional and intellec- three walls. Tall, white, and plain but hundred others who had a hand in tual overload can be fatal, believe me; once, feigning exhaustion after a long creating it. I knew Mars. I had watched people die, permanently die.” bout on the rowing machine, I had rested the television images from the landers; I The words “permanently die” were against it. It was colder and smoother recognized its cold, harsh, desert surface. uttered in a hushed, almost awed whisper. with the texture of glass, not concrete. I That was my Mars. “We give you information a little at don’t know if they knew what I was Not the new Mars, the enhanced a time, that way you can cope with it. doing, but I was sure they were behind atmosphere Mars, greening valleys and That way you don’t overload and die. the glass wall. The ones who were slowly filling oceans of the new world You don’t want to die, do you Jack?” watching, the ones who Doc talked to they had created using technology I just I didn’t even hesitate before reply- and somehow communicated with even didn’t understand. Why should I be ing. when he wasn’t talking. They must be the interested in the Martian colonies? They “I don’t care; there’s nothing for me ones in charge. That was why he told me didn’t hold anything for me; nothing in here; I’d be better off dead!” I shouted so little. He didn’t know anything. They this God-forsaken future did. back at him. were the ones I needed to make an “What’s your name?” I asked. One thing, the only thing, I had impression on. “You can call me Doc,” he replied, as come to know over the last month was That’s when the plan had come usual. that I shouldn’t be here. Everything I together in my mind. The wall ahead, the “Can I see someone else?” I asked. knew was useless. What had been degree- little window on the right, and beyond “You’re not ready.” The usual reply, level studies had become elementary that the floating spheres. Sometimes they again. school fodder within twenty-five years of added new machines to the gym and took “Can I go outside?” my suspension. Fifty years on, about as away old ones. Not today. Thankfully “You’re not ready.” far as they had let me learn, everything I everything was exactly where it had been “Can I find out what happened to my had ever known was obsolete. All the yesterday, and now Doc was far enough wife and son?” skills I had developed were useless; away . . . perfect. He paused for an instant, knowing everything had changed, even some of I walked over to the weightlifting what would happen next, before giving the bedrocks of social relationships and area and took a medium weight from the the standard reply. economic life—marriage, money, work— bay. It felt cold and hard in my palm. “You’re not ready.” were different from anything anyone half With two rapid pirouettes, like a discus “I want to know about my child, my a century earlier could have imagined. thrower, I launched it toward the far wall. wife!” I shouted. “Am I a prisoner here? Now all of that was two hundred years in “No!” Doc screamed as it flew past Tell me what’s going on!” the past. Whatever kind of world it was him. This was all part of the morning out there wasn’t a world for me. All I It crashed and smashed into the wall. pattern. A month of exercise had brought really wanted was to find out what had With a loud crack the wall shattered into the strength back into my arms and legs happened to Carrie and Jacob. To do that hundreds of shards. A woman sat behind but little knowledge of the world beyond I had to get information either from here it. She was shielding her face with her the three rooms of my resuscitation suite. or from somewhere else. hands. She looked somehow familiar, but Only the little window in each chamber “You’re not ready,” Doc intoned I didn’t have time to stand and stare. I offered a glimpse outside, and all they once more and walked into the gym. The launched a second weight at the little revealed was a green, grassy lawn morning argument always ended like window. It punched a hole through, not stretching uphill to meet with a usually this. very big but maybe, just maybe, big blue and clear sky. Sometimes out of the “When will I be ready?” I shouted. enough for me to get through. I jumped gym window, just above the horizon, I He kept on walking. I waited a onto the top of the chest-press machine caught glimpses of something moving, moment longer than usual before getting and then dived out through the hole in flying in the distance. Sometimes they out of bed, quickly changing clothes and the glass. Arms and head through, a sharp were big enough to guess that they were following him into the next room. I had dagger of glass ripped the back of my silver spheres, but they travelled too fast. to be sure he would be far enough away. clothing and cut deep into my shoulder I could never really watch them for long If I acted fast enough, I wouldn’t have to blade. I could hear Doc running up enough to get any real idea of size or hurt him. I didn’t want to hurt him. behind me. distance. “He’s got it bad; worst case I ever “No!” He sounded desperate. “Mr. Roberts.” Doc looked and saw.” Doc was speaking softly, unguard- Halfway out. I grabbed the short tufts sounded serious. “We know what we’re edly, as I walked through the door. I of grass and pulled a few inches further doing; we’ve been doing this for a didn’t often overhear things, and even forward. A stab of pain from the right hundred and fifty years. You’re not when I did they didn’t make sense. He knee, and then the ankle betrayed a long ready.” He sighed. stopped talking as I entered the room, slashing cut down the calf. One leg out, We had this conversation everyday. placed his right hand against his temple, one to go. Doc’s hand grabbed and “The consequences of giving you and glanced at the wall at the far end of gripped my foot.

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 35 “No, you don’t understand!” he words came from the machine. information and stimuli, you will die— shouted. “Can you do anything?” The tallest permanent death.” The last words were All I had to do was kick out. A quick, man, it was Doc, spoke to it as if it were uttered in the same hushed tones. “If you sharp blow would force him backwards another person. It hovered over me for a run again Jack, no one will be running and I would be free. I could feel the grass moment. after you; no one will save you; you’ll and taste the fresh air. Just one kick and I “No, nothing,” it replied. just die. It’s up to you Jack.” could be up and running. No one moved. The machine had He didn’t wait for me to answer, he He held tight. I stopped trying to taken the decision. Had we come to this? just turned away and walked toward the pull away. I wasn’t going to hurt him, not The pain got worse, the world door. Halfway there he stopped, turned, even for this. He must have felt me ease became darker. I wasn’t ready—Doc had and walked back. He repositioned the up and for an instant relaxed his grip. It been right. The world was too different pillow behind my head, wiped the thin was enough, just enough, for me to slip for me to just walk out into it. I wasn’t a film of cold sweat from my forehead, and my foot out of the shoe he was holding prisoner; they were just preparing me for held the water to my lips again. and drag myself out of the window. I was a different reality. “If there’s anything you want Jack, out and free. Doc fell on his knees next to me. anything at all, just ask.” He smiled and The lawn streched upward to a crest a “Well, I’m not just going to let you die put the fingers of his right hand to his few dozen yards ahead. Blue sky and you, you Jack.” At least the last few temple. green grass were all I could see, but I words seemed to be directed at me. “Who are you talking to?” I asked. knew that at the top of the hill there just “Does anyone else know about “Talking to? I’m talking to you had to be more. I glanced back, a stream mouth to mouth resuscitation?” he asked. Jack.” of red flowed from my leg down the green No one responded. “No, who are you talking to on the grass back to the broken window. No one “Damn!” he exclaimed, and began to other side of the wall?” was following me, at least not through feel for my heartbeat as pain and darkness He looked at the wall. the window. Too dangerous. An alarm swept over me. “You’re not ready Jack,” he replied sounded, and people appeared from and walked away. around the side of the building. * * * The same answer, always the same They ran toward me, but it was too The familiar sound of the machines answer. late. I had already reached the top of the beeped gently in the background. I hill. hadn’t dreamed. No lorries careening * * * The city was away across the other toward me. No images of Jacob. Just Doc winked as he placed the tumbler side of the bay. It gleamed and shim- darkness, then consciousness. I opened of orange juice in front of me. I knew mered in the sunlight as if it were made of my eyes. The room was the same—well, what he meant. This was the one with gin crystal. Skyscrapers reached up and up, almost the same. Doc stood rather than in it. I didn’t know how he got the stuff hundreds and hundreds of feet, and dis- sat at the end of my bed. in. It was strictly prohibited, but he knew appeared, unending, into the sky. Every- “Two weeks.” He intoned sternly and I liked it, and somehow he got it. where, everywhere, skimming across the sighed. For a guy who had had trouble clear blue water, weaving around the I tried to speak, but my mouth was walking three months ago, he was crystal towers, were what seemed to be too dry. Doc gently put a glass of ice cold looking fit. Two rowing machines now people flying unaided and unencum- water to my lips. rested against the far wall of the gym. bered, and above them the floating, “Why didn’t you let me die?” my One for me, one for him, and in the ten- flying spheres, thousands of them. voice was reedy and weak. minute race he always beat me. The sound of footsteps grew louder, “This all costs money, Jack.” He “Time for some catch?” he asked. but they were still too late. The world was called me by my first name and swept his I nodded and we ran out into the already growing dark, and the pain in my arm in an arc gesturing to all the ma- field at the front of my suite. Throwing chest had spread down my right arm. chines in the room. “And if you really the ball and catching it helped to Breathing hurt. My legs couldn’t hold me want to die, you have an absolute, legal redevelop hand-eye coordination. After up. The grass felt warm and soft against right to do so, but, you don’t have to. We an hour a day for the past five weeks I my cheek and forehead. don’t want you to. I don’t want you to.” was almost back to normal. The ball flew “He’s down!” one of them shouted as “You don’t know me. What does it toward me. It was high and wide, and they reached me. matter to you, to anyone, if I die?” I spat without even thinking about it, I darted Five figures stood above me silhou- back at him. to my left, leapt, and caught it one- etted against the sun. “It matters. It matters more than you handed with ease. I stared at it nestled in “Medic coming through, give it know,” he replied, “but if you really want the palm of my hand. Sport had never space, give it space.” to die just pull another little stunt like been my strong point. I could never, ever They parted and a silver machine the last one. We won’t be growing you catch like this. I looked up toward Doc floated past them and hovered over me. any new hearts again; next time you run, and caught him looking at me in an odd “Cardiac arrest, major damage.” The next time you overexpose yourself to sort of way; a mix of relief and pride.

36 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 “I can’t do this.” I held the ball up in him, I scowled in his direction. Tears talked in a clipped, odd accent. The explanation. were running down his cheeks. words were mainly English, but there He walked over, placed his hand on “Wait just a while longer, please just were words and phrases from other my shoulder and squeezed it gently. a while longer,” he whispered to me as we languages—Spanish, Japanese, and some “You can now,” he replied. passed. I had never seen him cry before. that sounded completely unintelligible “No, no. You don’t understand. I thrown in. The image switched to an could never do this, not even before.” * * * outside view. A blue sky but all the plant “You’re better now, better than It was dark. Even in the future night life was red. Three huge moons hung. It you’ve ever been.” He stopped and was still night. A single machine beeped wasn’t Earth; it didn’t seem like it could looked at me as if he was unsure whether in the background. Sleeping was becom- be anywhere in the solar system. A figure, to say anymore. “We optimize you, ing more and more difficult. Most nights tall, well dressed, green, and reptilian, rejuvenate you—biologically you’re as I was awake for the three or four hours stepped into view of the camera and good as you could ever be, or at least will before dawn. I stepped out of bed and began to talk in the same mixed-up be when you’re fully recovered. As fast, padded into the gym and then through to language as the woman. as sharp, as clever as the human body can the learning area. The screen was still on. The world seemed to buckle under ever be, and then . . .” He stopped again, Doc left it on most nights. He must know my feet. A falling, disoriented feeling placed his fingers on his temple for a that I couldn’t sleep. At least I could came over me. second, and then nodded slowly. watch the news from a hundred years ago “Stop!” I shouted, and the “And then we can implant—artificial to keep me occupied. Doc was a good viewscreen went blank. implants, internal organs, whole limbs, man, not that I had any other twenty-third I sat and waited. The Earth stopped brain chips. They make you better and century males to compare him to. In the moving, my heart stopped trying to break stronger, and they last forever. That’s sixteen weeks since my awakening Doc, out of my ribcage. I sat and waited and forever Jack—you don’t wear out. You and the brief encounter with the men on thought about it for a long time and then never die Jack, never.” the hill, had been my only contact with slowly gave another order to the A medic sphere floated up and anyone. It was the tried and tested way of viewscreen. hovered next to me. doing things, Doc told me. I liked him, he “Display all information held on “Heart rate normal, cortical responses seemed to like me. We understood each Carrie and Jacob Roberts.” elevated 10 percent, nothing to worry other. In another time, another place, It answered in an instant, before I had about,” it intoned softly. another set of circumstances, we could the chance to give it dates of birth or any Doc laughed. have been friends, good friends, but here. other search-refining information. “All “I really shouldn’t have told you all . . . How could he really understand how I information on individuals held at City of that. She didn’t think you were ready,” felt? Records,” it replied. “Password required he gestured back toward the building. How could he feel the sense of for access,” it concluded and waited for “But I thought you were.” uselessness, hopelessness, loss that I did. the password. I nodded and smiled back. I would be no good in his world. A I didn’t have it. The last few weeks I had felt better as Neanderthal trying to understand “System will be locked in thirty I got stronger and fitter. The days with relativity—that was the reality of it all. seconds without password.” Doc were good. The nights were a What did this place, this time, offer me? I was too close to finding answers to different story. Dreams of Carrie and Inferiority, poverty, at best curiosity lose now, but how could I give it a Jacob, death, and waking full of fear and value. “Come see the savage from the password I didn’t know? loneliness. past!” I could visualize the fairground “System lock in twenty seconds.” “Anything else you want to tell me?” freak show advertisements already and on It didn’t care, it would just lock. It I asked as nonchalantly as possible. top of it all the loneliness. Carrie and wasn’t a smart machine, just a dumb “Only that we’re at the collapse of Jacob gone forever. It was too difficult, servant. Trying to reason with it wouldn’t the Martian Colonies on the info reels, a too much to bear. Deep down inside I be any use. hundred years after your suspension. knew I didn’t want to be here. “System lock in ten seconds.” I had Want to go and learn?” he turned and The view screen flickered. to do something, now. headed back toward the main building. “When and where’s the bar?” I asked “Where is City Records?” I shouted “What about Jacob, what about it, wanting to know which events and out. It began to tell me the address and Carrie?” I shouted at him. years were restricted. street reference. He stopped as if he had been frozen “The bar is off,” it replied. “Print me a map.” to the spot. For a second I thought he was I waited a moment. No bar meant I As the last syllable rolled off my lips, going to give me a real answer. Then in a could view anything. SYSTEM LOCK flashed onto the screen halting, pained voiced he replied. “Today’s news,” I ordered. in big red letters. Too late, I was too late. “You’re not ready. You’re not ready.” An image of a woman, golden A soft hum issued from the repro- I didn’t wait for anymore. I ran back skinned, bleached-blonde hair, sat ducer next to the screen. A map, a street toward the main building. As I raced past behind a desk, filled the screen. She map, with the City Records Office

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 37 marked with an X, slid out. opened, and I eased my way out into the and stopped. A sharp intake of breath street. brought an all-too-familiar stabbing pain * * * It was crystal, or at least very much to my chest. An alien on the viewscreen I had given Doc one last chance. like it. The ground, the walls, the had been a surprise. Meeting one in real “Please tell me about my family,” I asked. buildings were clear like diamond. They life was jaw-droppingly unbelievable. It “You’re not ready,” he replied. shimmered rainbow colors in the sun- landed just in front of me and looked to Ready or not, today I was going to light. It felt cool and smooth; on the be headed for the door behind me. It was find out. The collector always called at corners it was almost sharp enough to cut half my size, a beak and three clawlike this time of day. Long, cigar-shaped, and flesh—almost, but not quite. Everywhere fingers on each hand. I stared at it and it floating silently down the roadway that was clean and bright, fountains of gently stared at me until we were almost headed off toward the city. It stopped just bubbling water stood at each intersec- touching. long enough to be filled with boxes and tion, flowers and plants decorated the “Excuse me,” it chirped in a high- trash and then floated back to where it concourses and perfumed the air, and all pitched voice and side-stepped me before had come from. of this was in three not two dimensions. pushing past and through the door. It was only the second time I had Stretching up as far as I could see were asked to be left alone to walk around the gardens and landing pads, fountains, * * * garden. Doc had looked suspicious when flowers, and people. The chest pain wasn’t getting any I asked him to leave me in peace for a “Can I help you sir?” A blue sphere worse, but it wasn’t getting any better while. I was sure that he knew I was floated down from high above. It intoned either. planning something, but his little speech the question in a clipped, difficult-to- Another block and the sphere about not stopping me, or helping me, if I understand accent. stopped at the bottom of a flight of stairs decided to run again, seemed to mean “Yes, I want to go to the Hall of leading up to a Romanesque-style what it said. Just to be on the safe side I Records.” building, all columns and friezes. I stood was still going to slip away rather than “Follow me sir,” it suggested and on the bottom step and waited. Inside just walk through the gates. quickly shot back into the air. A few were the details of what had happened to The collector arrived, stopped, and seconds later it returned. Carrie and Jacob and all I had to do was opened its cargo doors. Carrier spheres “Follow me sir,” it repeated and then wait for the pain in my chest and arm to brought out the trash already sorted and slowly began to drift upwards. ease a little and then I would be able to ready for recycling. It had taken me a “I want to walk,” I called after it. climb up and go in. The sphere had said while to realize that not all spheres were “Why?” it asked, a genuine sense of something to me, but I was trying to the same. These couldn’t think; they just puzzlement in its voice. concentrate on breathing slowly and did a job, dumb machines. As the last “Because I would,” was all I could calmly. After the third or fourth time that boxes were packed, I jumped onboard. think of saying. I failed to reply, it floated away. I The hatch closed behind me, and a few It didn’t ask any more questions. couldn’t be sure, but it sounded as if it seconds later I felt us jerk around and “Follow me sir,” it said again and floated, was swearing and complaining about my back toward the city. It had been so easy, just above my head, down the street. lack of courtesy. perhaps too easy. I sat back and waited. The wide streets were busy, not many I glanced to either side of the The journey could be a long one. people walked along them, but there building to see if there was a lift or ramp, We stopped twice. Two more places seemed to be a preference for siting but as everyone else seemed to be exactly like mine. Two other resuscita- restaurants and coffee shops outside and floating and gliding in and out and up tion areas? After the second one we set on terra firma. People still ate dinner, and down, there was neither. The steps off slowly and then picked up more people still drank coffee, some even were there purely for decorative purposes. speed. seemed to be reading little screens, which They made the building look important The journey went on for longer, and, were probably the descendants of my and civic in nature, but they also made it even before we stopped, I could hear the morning newspaper. The only difference doubtful that I would ever get inside. sounds of the city. People talking. I seemed to be that when they finished At the bottom of the steps, on the left couldn’t really understand what they they floated up and away to wherever corner stood a kiosk; small and rectangu- were saying, but there was enough they had to be next. Money seemed to lar and on its outside I recognized the English in there for me to be able to have completely disappeared. emblem of the Martian Colonies. guess. Snatches of conversation about Thumbprints on more little screens “The Free Martian Colonies,” the last night’s sports results, an argument seemed to be the method of payment for words on the badge now read. between a young boy and an adult about every transaction. This wasn’t so different I hadn’t reached the part of the time what time he had to be home, two female- to my time. Things had changed, but in a line when they had gained independence sounding voices discussing holiday working, eating, striving for a better from Earth, but for some reason I sud- plans. The world may have changed, but tomorrow sort of way, people seemed denly wanted to cheer. Slowly I shuffled people still seemed the same. The much the same. over to take a closer look and see if the collector stopped, the cargo doors I followed the sphere around a corner word “free” had a date attached.

38 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 As I stood outside examining the raced down my arm. The crystal steps felt He sat on the edge of the bed and badge, a woman appeared. Her image hard and painful as my knees crashed looked at me waiting for an answer. shimmered and seemed blurred at the into them, their cool smoothness pressed “I want to go to Mars,” I replied. edges. I had seen holograms before but against my cheek as I slid to the floor. “Mars?!” It was his turn to look never quite as big or as clear as this one. The pain was worse, a lot worse than ever amazed. “Welcome to Mars,” she said as before. “Yes, Mars,” the words burst out in a three-dimensional images of that world A crowd gathered and the darkness stutter of excitement. “There’s so much to appeared behind her. Mars seemed to be began to enfold me for the last time. do, so many chances to make real a half finished. Half green and wet, half red “Let me through, let me through!” difference, so many . . . opportunities.” and arid. The problems of terra-forming The distant voice sounded familiar. A He didn’t reply, he just looked at me had been exacerbated by the changing tall, thin figure stood over me. He bent in that odd, almost paternally proud way politics and priorities of Earth-bound down and the accustomed feel of Doc’s he sometimes did. administrators and project leaders. The hand gripped my shoulder. “You don’t understand, Doc, you colonists had decided to go it alone, but “I’m not going to let you die,” he couldn’t understand. Coming back after funds were short and they needed finance whispered into my ear, and then, cradling so many years presents you with a whole and help. me in his arms, he lifted me from the floor new world of experiences and opportuni- “Please pledge us your credits or and held me tight to his chest. ties. It has so much to offer, Doc, and I give us your time. Come and join us— The world went dark have so much to offer it. I can make my Mars needs you.” The woman disap- dreams come true and along the way do peared from view. * * * something worthwhile. When will I be It had been an interesting sales pitch, The cacophony of bleeps broke my well enough, when will I be ready to but I didn’t have any credits, and the pain sleep. I opened my eyes. The room leave?” in my chest suggested that I didn’t have seemed full of machines. Doc sat on the This last question seemed to take much time. edge of the bed watching me. him by surprise. The first few steps were fine. Halfway “Don’t try to move, you’re too “What about Carrie, what about up I stopped and gasped for breath. weak,” he said. Jacob?” he asked. “Welcome to Mars,” another I nodded. It didn’t hurt, but I didn’t I thought for a moment. interested somebody had activated the want to take any risks by trying to do “I miss them Doc. I always will, but kiosk. I hoped they had more to offer more. life can, life has to, go on.” For the first than I could. Taking the steps one at a “Three weeks Jack, three weeks to time since I had been awakened, a tear time and resting in between kept the pain put you back together. Do you know how rolled down my cheek and fell gently down a little. Breathing was hard and much that cost, Jack? Do you know how away. painful. The ground moved and buckled much I had to beg and grovel to get Doc put his fingers to his temple and beneath my feet. One more step and then agreement to get that done?” nodded. He stood up and walked over to I was at the door. If I took it carefully, I shook my head, at least the muscles the machines. One by one, he turned slowly, I could get the information on in the my neck felt fine. them off. Carrie and Jacob. I could know what had “But we still have a problem Jack. “Doc!” I shouted in panic. happened to them; I could find them Do you know what that problem is?” “Don’t worry, you’re not going to before the pain beat me and carried me I shook my head again, it moved die,” he said. “You’re fit and healthy. We off to the long sleep, the permanent easily, painlessly from side to side, it was just had to be sure.” death. Just a few more minutes of life and a good sign. I would be up and fit for I eased myself up. It felt good—no consciousness, that’s all I needed, all I action soon. pain, no aches, no fatigue. wanted. “You’re the problem Jack.” “Sure of what?” I asked. I stood at the top of the steps and I stopped moving my head and He had turned off the last machine looked into the records office. Out of the looked at Doc in amazement. and was headed for the door. corner of my eye, I glimpsed the spin- “What?!” I bellowed. “It happens to us all,” he said, “the ning, red, blue, green holograph of Mars. The voice sounded strong. My lungs resuscitation blues, only you had it bad, “Come and join us—Mars needs must be okay. It was getting better all the real bad. But now you know, like we you.” Her words echoed around inside time. know, the future’s bright; tomorrow’s my head. “You’re the problem Jack,” Doc always going to be better. We have so “Mars needs you.” continued. “We can’t keep bringing you many new opportunities,” he stopped at Mars. Work to do, problems to solve, back like this. We can’t afford it. We the door. opportunities to seize. Why hadn’t I seen can’t spend the time or the money on it “And, I think you’re ready,” he said it before? so, it’s up to you Jack, what do you want? and left the room. I turned and staggered down the Do you want to live? Or do you want to What did he mean we? I was the one steps toward the spinning planetary die? It’s up to you. Want do you want to who had been awakened, not him. Why image. The pain crushed my chest and do, Jack?” did he say we?

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 39 I jumped up and ran after him. the ebony sheen of her skin. were together. The gym was empty. I caught sight “Carrie?” my voice cracked and I pulled my head back and looked at of Doc as he walked through a small, new broke. her. door in the glass wall at the far end of the If I hadn’t been ready, the shock of “Jacob, what happened to Jacob?” room. I ran after him. seeing her would have killed me, the words burst unexpectedly out of my The next room was small, dimly lit, permanent death. mouth. and empty except for a chair placed She stood and raced over to me, took The familiar feel of Doc’s hand exactly in its center. A woman sat facing me in her arms, and our lips met for the gripped my shoulder. “Hi Dad,” he me. I recognized the emblem of the Free first time in two hundred and fifty years. whispered. Martian Colonies emblazoned on a Her body felt warm, soft, and familiar in Carrie, Jack, and Jacob were together badge across her chest. I recognized the my hands. Carrie was here, awakened, again, at last. l dark-brown depth of her eyes, her smile, alive and rejuvenated. I wasn’t alone, we

terminals at their seats. The invaders appeared to be a very primitive sort, at best a hundred microns long, possessing no intelligence of significance. “But how could such creatures have come through space?” came one question Re-Creation among many others from the audience, after he was finished. It was from ODG- 123, an old friend of 941’s. 941 had no by satisfactory answer, for this or for most of the other queries. The very existence of Fred Chamberlain such a strange life form was sufficient reason for the conference, even though only the most preliminary results were available. 941 and 123 met for lunch. As they ingested silicon nuggets flavored with titanium and heavily salted with exotic crystals of carbon, 941 revealed private data not sufficiently analyzed for presentation in the open meeting. “We’ve done electron microscopy of some of the creatures under cryogenic As ODG-941 moved toward the electronic commentary swept the hall. conditions,” 941 said. “The seat of their podium, the hall silenced. 941’s great The rumor was true! 941 was the world’s structure is a fascinating pattern of form was not that different from the most eminent exobiologist, and though complex, carbon based molecules. others’, but the ID codes radiating from they had yet to discover evidence of life Utterly indecipherable! Also, it looks as antennae at his wasplike midsection told even on other planets of the local system, if they function by elementary oxidation, those in attendance who he was. Leaning it was a passionate dream of theirs to do metabolically. They appear to have a forward slightly as he approached the so. If 941 said he had discovered an alien queer and laborious energy conversion ramp to the stage, he rolled quickly to the species, here on their home planet, they capable of functioning by sunlight, higher level without the slightest flexing were most reluctant to doubt it. though these specimens were taken from of lower appendages. His head, a spher- “It is the strangest thing. We find an area where sunlight is totally absent.” oidal sensor assembly, swept about them only in the vicinity of volcanic He paused. 123 was thoughtfully surveying the thousands who had vents in the deeps of the ocean, and they silent, then she swiveled in her seat and attended the symposium. Finally, in the die quickly after being captured. It fixed all of her sensors on 941. “Can you radio frequency voice of the Jankx, he appears their immune systems cannot tell me anything more about this pat- spoke. withstand the slightest contact with our tern?” she said enticingly. Her upper “As you have heard, it appears an microorganisms.” appendages danced on the table in a way alien species has taken residence on this 941 displayed visuals, and most of which would have been hypnotic to any planet,” he said. A current of low level the attendees captured them from video small animal.

40 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 Even 941 was momentarily dis- engagement with 941 and left for her canyon. On a ledge two thousand feet tracted. He had engaged in reproductive laboratory some thousands of miles away. above the river, she had first shown him data mixing with 123 several times The remainder of the symposium was the site of a discovery of hers which had previously, and in the nuances of her uneventful. More data was presented, but revolutionized the Jankx’ understanding question was a clear invitation. But she the enigmas remained. When the last of their planet’s past. Now, she withdrew was an archaeologist, he could not let words had been spoken, 941 had one into the shade of an overhang and invited himself forget, and archaeologists and thought in mind, to join 123 and find 941 to join her. Then, slowly, she began a exobiologists were virulent rivals. She what had so violently distracted her that story she told him in advance she did not would not hesitate to exploit every she had broken the engagement. expect him to believe. kernel of information she could extract *** “Look into my thoughts, 941,” she from him for her own papers, publishing The train trip was brief, but enjoy- said. He let his communication append- them without a moment’s delay. able. The long, magnetically levitated ages sink into her high bandwidth Still, 941 could picture the two of vehicle raced over flat terrain at mach recesses and looked. “See the shapes?” them coiled in a reproduction sanctuary, three, but when it encountered mountains 941 saw the skeletons of the ancient blending data in a bridge from which it slowed to subsonic speeds and wound ones, long departed, who were the would emerge a new entity. Some of their among the peaks and rivers. The part of shapers of the land long before the Jankx offspring were already preeminent in the journey 941 enjoyed most was the evolved. As he watched, the pictures their own fields. Oh, what the hell! He section near the end, where the guide- filled in and skeletons were covered by couldn’t resist. She could wind him ways ran sinuously through an enormous layer after layer of tissue and circulatory around her slenderest appendage, and she canyon, following the course of a river networks. Finally, an outer layer was knew it. which had torn a gash nearly a mile deep added. 941 had seen these pictures The first day of the symposium drew in the overlying plateau. before. Why was she showing them to to an end. After a romantic dinner, at The system designers could have him again? which they sipped frothing liquid taken a level route above the canyon and “We modeled our current body nitrogen and downed chilled slices of dry shaved ten minutes from the trip, but designs, to the extent we could, after the ice coated with congealed hydrocarbons, everyone agreed the longer journey was evolved efficiencies of these creatures!” 941 and 123 retired to the privacy of a worth the extra time required. 123 had 123 cried. “We borrowed from their hotel suite and began their fourth spent years in that canyon, tunneling into ancient machinery! We owe everything reproductive engagement. For weeks bedding planes in search of fossils. At the to them!” following the symposium, they would base of the canyon was one of her It was a cry of agony. Why was she remain together in the most delicious favorite resorts, where they planned to so upset? experience a Jankx could imagine. Then honeymoon in their current engagement “The tissue samples we reconstructed the child would go to a growth center, before it was terminated. At the main were three million years old, from the self aware and able to supervise its own continental terminal, on a hunch, 941 wastes of deserts in mountains south of development. The days of extended called the resort and sure enough, 123 the equatorial zone!” parental child care were long past in the was on the register. Twenty minutes later, The tones of her words distorted culture of the Jankx. he was back at the canyon and went in them almost to the point of incoherency. But there was a shocking disclosure search of her. The pictures began to break down, that first night which changed every- It was in a side canyon he finally washed with white noise, and 123’s thing. Teasingly, the first thing 123 found her. Passing its entrance as he appendages began to quiver involun- wanted to probe was the information waded the main stream, he sensed 123’s tarily. 941 tried, with a sense of futility, pattern that lay at the heart of the aliens. ID code faintly coming from the mouth of to comfort her. It was no use. He sensed When 941 let her peek at it, she gasped the tributary and followed it for a quarter her control centers driving her power and her barriers went up. mile until there she was, mulling over supplies into overload, and there were 123 recoiled, as if she had been samples a quarter of the way up a rocky spurious emissions of erratic transients caught in the magnetic vortex of a slope. When she saw him, she gave a indicating internal short circuits of transportation guideway. Her appendages joyous greeting and raced down the slope kilovolt magnitudes. drew in and she turned away. For a period to the stream. There, her appendages “It’s unforgivable! There’s no way to of minutes, 941 lay beside her in frustra- wrapped around him and intertwined atone for it! No decent Jankx could live tion until 123 opened minimal communi- with his, she apologized and thanked him with it!” 123 screamed, and with no other cation channels. Inside, she seemed to be for coming after her. warning than that she moved quickly to experiencing a kind of torment and “But why?” he said. “What’s the the edge of the precipice and threw disgust she could not express. All she matter?” herself into space. would say was it was a mere hypothesis; 123 was silent for a moment. “Come 941 could not believe it and was she could not rest until she had explored with me,” she said, and led the way to a momentarily immobile with horrified it. The next morning, 123 broke her high promontory overlooking the surprise; then he flung himself to the

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 41 brink and stared downward. Even before light filtered into 123’s recovery room, Look at the first, clumsy steps toward 123 smashed upon jagged rocks fifteen her sensors came into full focus. 941 locomotion, as if trial and error were hundred feet below, the echoes of 941’s woke immediately and held 123 as being employed! See the interspecies cries of agonized despair reached those in tightly as one Jankx could hold another competition in our predecessors, battling the resort, and rescue groups were on the without hurting. As she swam upward for survival. Would the ancient ones have way. from a state of disorientation that designed these mutually destructive *** pulsated still and seemed as if it would entities? Tell me!” The reconstruction of 123 was as never end, 941 beckoned and coaxed her 941’s head inclined downward. It good as it could be, but even the medical on. It took hours; then suddenly 123 was was his way of showing he was puzzled. technology of the Jankx had its limits. fully alert again. Shivers of the joy of life “What are you trying to tell me?” he Their bodies were evolved from colonies poured from her appendages into 941. asked. “Why does it matter whether or of inorganic assemblers, which multi- She promised, in that moment, that she not ancient ones designed us?” plied and differentiated to form operative would never try to destroy herself again. 123’s tone was tense. “Our microor- subassemblies according to designs The aliens were an unspoken subject ganisms, our primitive assemblers... they which were encoded in such a way the between them at first. 123 allowed herself kill your ‘aliens’ at the volcanic sea floor Jankx scientists had yet to fully decipher to be drawn into an engagement with 941 vents. They dissolve my specimens from many of them. again, and the two of them spent weeks three million years ago if given the The Jankx traced their evolution away from civilization. Finally, a new slightest chance. Every form of the back through several million years to a offspring went to the growth center, and profusion of life that was here before the point known as the Great Discontinuity, they were completely alone. In a hotel Great Discontinuity suddenly vanished. when they appeared to have sprung into room near the growth center, 941 sensed Doesn’t that tell you something?” existence. Before that, a great profusion it was time. He asked, “Why? What was “What should it tell me?” 941 said, of other species had existed, and appar- it? That day on the ledge?” puzzled. His question was sincere, but in ently all of them departed or vanished at 123 trembled. Then she said, “Come him a horror began to grow. the same time. A quest of the Jankx with me to the Coastal Museum and I’ll “The first assemblers, from which we culture, a “holy grail” they sought to tell you.” She would say no more. arose, wiped out everything!” 123 find, was the explanation of their origin Thus it was that one late afternoon practically shouted. “They dissolved and the fate of the earlier inhabitants of they stood in front of portraits of the everything except fossils and materials so the planet. ancient ones, archives which survived the remote they could not find them. Archae- The only things Jankx archaeolo- millions of years since the Great Discon- ologists’ specimens, carefully preserved, gists had discovered were dried samples tinuity. 123 insisted they be seated. and your ‘aliens’ from the ocean floor are of countless species within which there Hesitantly, she began to speak. As the all that remains of a world teeming with were indecipherable patterns, patterns far minutes passed, she became engrossed in life. In its place we have the Jankx and a too similar to the patterns 941 had shown her subject. 941 relaxed. 123 seemed to few primitive, competing species from 123 that night at the symposium. The be fully in control of herself. Perhaps this which we arose!” archaeologists had been on the verge of time it would go without difficulty. She could not go on. Jankx wept by publishing their pattern findings when “We arose from primitive assemblers, a quivering release of pressurized gases. the exobiologists had called their did we not?” 123 said. 123 was weeping. emergency meeting. The competitiveness 941 nodded. It was an almost 941 contemplated the disaster of and secrecy of the two groups defied imperceptible movement of his head, but which she spoke. He saw primitive explanation, yet it existed. it served the purpose. assemblers tearing down the huge life 941 stayed with 123, day and night, “And our designs, while not fully chain 123 had studied ever since she was for three full years. Within her, tiny deciphered, are a rational form of an old enough to have a purpose in life. The assemblers sought to put the pieces back engineering systems approach?” long vanished cities of the ancient ones? together. 941 warmed 123 when she 941 nodded again, uncertain of The trees, the animals, the sea life that cooled and drained her heat when her where this was headed. once flourished? All those things which temperature rose. When she needed them, “The culture of the ancient ones had he and his fellow exobiologists sought in he supplied the purest of elements. this knowledge, and they could have the void? They had been here, a few Finally, when she began to stir with signs designed us, but there are problems with million years ago, and now they were of consciousness, 941 held her, whisper- that hypothesis.” gone, destroyed by primitive assemblers. ing when she softly called his name, “Why do you say that?” And in their place? Jankx and a few other which she had done throughout the fall 123 gestured sarcastically. “Look at things made of assemblers! to what she had expected would be her the early forms we took! Look at the first A story from the literature of the death. For a long while, it was not clear if indications of specialization, as if the ancient ones came to 941 suddenly. A 123 would ever truly be herself again. assemblers had stumbled by themselves little girl, Pandora, opened a box, and out One morning, as the sun rose and on more efficient ways of cooperation! came the evils of the world. 941 had a

42 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 flash of a new horror and rose in a panic. “Don’t tell me...” “Come with me,” he shouted, and “You were the one who always dragged 123 to her feet. He would not insisted life had to prove itself in the BACK ISSUES OF explain, as he rushed to his laboratory natural environment.” and confronted his supervisor. “But I didn’t mean...” LifeQuest “What are you upset about, 941?” “No matter what you meant. It’s out 444 asked. 444 was the laboratory there, now, and let’s hope it doesn’t have If you’re enjoying these manager. He had never seen 941 like this. a taste for assemblers!” stories, you’ll be happy to 941 stumbled through the story, assisted “It doesn’t,” 123 laughed. “If it did, know that issues #1 and #2 of by 123. we wouldn’t be here talking, now.” LifeQuest are already avail- “But what’s the point?” asked 444. 941 and 123 dined at the top of the able on Alcor’s website, under “It’s project 877B,” 941 said tallest tower in the city that night. 123 “links.” For ease of finding vehemently. “It’s got to stop!” could not contain her excitement. them, the URLs are: “But that’s your project!” “This is it, our chance to redeem “I know, but it has dangers we never ourselves,” she said. “We can coax XB4 http://www.alcor.org/ considered.” into patterns matching those specimens lifeqst1.htm “What?” we archaeologists have preserved, and “You’ve heard 123’s hypothesis. thousands upon thousands of vanished http://www.alcor.org/ What do you think of it?” life forms, safe and accounted for. These lifeqst2.htm “Plausible!” things can come to life again; the ancient “But then, what about 877B!” ones can once more walk this Earth.” Issues #3 through #7 will, with “What about it?” There was uncontrollable trembling time, be reprinted in Cryonics “We’re trying to synthesize organic as she spoke, nibbling on a sliver of icy Magazine, but an influx of life!” quartz. new fiction could make this a 123 added, “If you succeed, what “941, you and your exobiologists drawn-out process. If you you synthesize will be immune to our had better get ready. Before you know it, would like to see the back microorganisms.” you’re going to have to deal with a truly issues posted to Alcor’s “So?” 444 was showing signs of extraordinary turn of events. We’re going website more quickly, let us uneasiness. to recreate the all species in the life chain know. We try to give first “So if we create a form of organic life that created us. This time we can work priority to projects we know immune to our assemblers,” 941 said, together, to find ways we can protect will make the most Alcor “perhaps it will be able to tear down each of us from the other.” l Members safest and happiest. assemblers. Suppose life like that were turned loose on our planet, to flourish; suppose it were able to dissolve the assemblers of which we’re made. What would that mean to us?” “It’s too late,” said 444. How to Submit Stories to LifeQuest “What do you mean?” demanded Please send submissions to: Alcor’s anticipated rights 941. Cryonics magazine, Alcor Life include one-time publication in “You’ve been away for years, with 123,” 444 reminded him. “In that time, Extension Foundation, 7895 E. Cryonics magazine and web site 877B passed a major hurdle. The aliens? Acoma Drive #110, Scottsdale, inclusion, nothing more, unless Your group found a way to modify the AZ 85260, or email them to provided for in writing. Additional information pattern so the aliens are [email protected]. information on submissions may immune to our assemblers. They call the If in hard copy format, please be found inside the front cover of altered pattern XB4. It’s like the original also include a diskette (textfiles or Cryonics. pattern with the addition of a diamond one of these: Microsoft Word 97 You can help others see why fiber web, and it replicates itself. Look & 6.0/95, or Pagemaker 6.5. Gra- what Alcor does makes sense, by out that window.” phics (jpg/gif preferred) should be sharing your feelings, your Outside the window, 941 and 123 in color if available, as these are deepest insights with them, in the could see little. “What’s there to see?” 123 asked. compatible with Alcor’s web site. form of LifeQuest fiction (short “Don’t you see a faint, greenish tinge LifeQuest stories may be publish- stories) or poems. If you have a on those hills?” 941’s circuits felt as if ed on Alcor’s web site barring vision, put it in writing and submit they were overloading. agreed restrictions to the contrary. it for consideration.

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 43 Alcor Member Profile

KLAUS REINHARD

Profile Editor: Russell Cheney

With the Profile column, we wish to introduce the Alcor membership and the Cryonics Magazine readership to a wider view of itself, by communicating member ideas, beliefs and background. Alcor has hundreds of fas- cinating members who may now not be widely known in the cryonics community. We intend the Profile to be a relatively easy, informal medium to help provide some of these members the broader attention they deserve.

Member Name: Klaus Reinhard.

Profile Editor: Russell Cheney.

Date joined Alcor: September 16, 1991.

Place of birth: Braunschweig, Germany.

City and country of current residence: Kiel, Germany.

Date of birth: May 9, 1959.

Occupation: Computer programmer in a German bank.

Marital status: Single.

Children: None.

Educational background: Study in computer science. In high school and at the university, I had the best pos- sible marks in the exams.

Height / Weight: 180 cm / 59 kg.

Favorite author: Arthur C. Clarke.

Favorite book: Engines of Creation by K. Eric Drexler.

Book you are currently reading: Diaspora by Greg Egan.

Favorite TV programs: Buck Rogers, Star Trek, Deep Space Nine, Babylon 5 (I recommend these only for entertainment, not because they contain any correct prognosis of the future).

44 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 Political affiliation: I agree to the positions of the Libertarians much more than to those of any other group, but unfortunately in Germany there is no Libertarian party.

Religion: In my life, cryonics plays a similar role as the religion in the life of other people. However, the reasons that I am a cryonicist (scientific evidence, logical considerations, and extrapolations of historical trends), are different from the reasons why most people believe in their religions.

Personal strengths: Logical thinking.

Personal weaknesses: My disease (juvenile•onset diabetes).

Personal philosophy: Leben und leben lassen (Live and let others live).

Short•term goal: To increase the number of cryonicists in Germany and to improve the possibilities for cryonics here.

Long•term goal: To live as long as possible, until all diseases including ageing can be cured (I do not believe that there is a high chance for me to reach this goal without cryonics, but as long as I can I will try).

Immediate goal upon reanimation: Enjoy my new body, which may be artificial or virtual, but will most likely not be handicapped by any disease.

Longer•term goals upon reanimation: 1. Help revive others; 2. Explore the universe.

Favorite subject in school: Mathematics.

Least•liked subject: Sports.

Greatest fear: Dying and not being preserved.

First became interested in life extension: I have always, even as a child, considered life as the highest value, and have never accepted an end of life. As a child and teenager I believed (without thinking too hard about it) that medicine would conquer all diseases within my life•time. Later, when I thought more about the complexity of problems in biology and medicine, I became interested in all means of life extension, including cryonics.

Most effective thing you’ve done to promote your own longevity (other than being an Alcor member): Consequent treatment of my disease; healthy eating (calorie restriction with adequate nutrition); not smoking; avoiding alcohol and other drugs.

Least: Not taking high doses of B•vitamins in my youth. If I had done this, I would eventually have prevented the diabetes. But at that time I did not know anything about the possible protective effect of B•vitamins against the auto•immune•reaction which destroys the insulin•producing cells.

Why you are a cryonicist: Because I see, as high probability, that future science will conquer death. I have even written a book about that. The full text is now online: http://members.aol.com/klausrei/buch.htm

Advice you have for other cryonicists: Despite all difficulties, do not give up. The unlimited life you can eventually win justifies all efforts. l

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 45 (continued from page 22) what he reported does not lend itself to preservation in animals, with subsequent even a summary as part of this review, transplantation, will help to give their cryoprotective agent concentration, he however. Those who want those details work more of the acknowledgement it said, close to the levels needed for will need to buy a copy of the videotape deserves.) vitrification. His work did not apply when it is released. either extracellular cryoprotection nor The work that Dr. Fahy reported is This article covered only the scien- freeze-blocking. With the addition of integral with the work of Dr. Wowk, tific presentations of the first day of these measures, Dr. Fahy indicated that whose talk preceded Fahy’s. The same the conference. The evening event of there is a high degree of confidence that comments on Dr. Wowk are appropriate the first day and the presentations of vitrification can be obtained. for Dr. Fahy, as to the implications of the final day will be the subject of a Dr. Fahy’s presentation included their work toward the development of continuation article in the next issue. discussion of experimental models, what someday will be perfected human automated perfusion to accommodate his suspended animation. (It is intriguing, as l investigations, and descriptions of how well as deeply puzzling, that such work his work would address both organ proceeds, almost invisible to the public transplantation research and brain who may soon benefit from it. Perhaps Immortality on Ice preservation studies. The complexity of the imminent demonstration of organ (the video) By the Discovery Channel. About 60 minutes run time. Wear Alcor’s Symbols! Popular introductory tape. (ash and white) $25.00 plus S&H. Sweatshirts $15.00 each Sizes: small, medium, large, xlarge, xxlarge T-Shirts $10.00 each Sizes (ash, white): small, medium, large, xlarge, xxlarge

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To order, call 1-480-905-1906 with your Visa/MC number, or send check / money-order to Alcor Foundation 7895 E. Acoma Dr., Ste. 110, Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Cover Art by Tim Hubley ! MOVING? Over the last several years, Tim Hubley has provided Cryonics with some of the most beautiful Let us know and creative CGI art we’ve ever about it! seen. Now Tim is selling a limited Call 4th Qtr. 97 1st Qtr. 98 2nd Qtr. 98 run (only 20 copies each!) of 1-480-905-1906 matted 8.5” x 11” color ink-jet prints of these images (without all and ask for the messy text added in layout) Joe Hovey. for only $15.00, plus shipping and handling. Don’t miss even To order your prints, contact Tim one issue of Hubley through email at: Cryonics! 3rd Qtr. 98 4th Qtr. 98 1st Qtr. 99 [email protected].

46 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000 Do You Have Your Copy of The First Immortal Yet?

Alcor is selling a limited quantity of copies signed by the author, James Halperin.

Don’t miss out—order yours today! Signed Hardback: $34.95 Unsigned Hardback: $24.95 Paperback (unsigned): $6.99

Send check or money order to the Alcor Foundation, 7895 E. Acoma Dr., Suite 110, Scottsdale, AZ 85260. With Visa or Mastercard, call 1-480-905-1906. BioTransport, Inc. Is seeking emergency medical community professionals (EMT’s, Paramedics, ER Techni- cians, Nurses and Physicians) for on-call contract response, to deliver cryotransport rescue services to member organizations and to the general public. For application forms and other information, contact Fred Chamberlain at 480-905-1906, or email to [email protected], or [email protected]

Cryonics magazine reserves the right to accept or reject ads at our own discretion and assumes no responsibility for their content or the consequences of answering these advertisements. The Advertisementsrate is $8.00 per line per issue (our lines are considered to be 66 picas wide). Tip-in rates per sheet are $140 (printed one side) or $180 (printed both sides), from camera-ready copy. NanoTechnology Fund Magazine CryoTransport NanoTechnology Magazine is your window into the Affordably with Life Insurance emerging technology whose awesome power mankind will acquire, for good or evil, very early in this new century. Everything will change radically...the indus- Rudi Hoffman trial revolution was just a preview. Find out about the Certified Financial millions already spent by government and private labs on the atomic manipulation of matter. Follow monthly Planner discoveries toward the evolution of the technology sure to dominate the 21st. century. Prepare yourself Alcor member since mentally with NanoTechnology Magazine. 1994

Investments, Financial Services, Mutual Funds, CryoTransport 1-year subscription: $38.40 Insurance, Annuities, Living Trusts INSURANCE (check, M.O., or Credit Card). $120,000 20 Year Level, Renewable Term SPECIALIST NanoTechnology Magazine Age 35 $16.30 per month 4451 Sierra Dr. Age 45 $29.26 per month For more than 12 years, Mary Honolulu, HI 96816 Age 55 $60.26 per month (808) 737-0628 fax (808) 739-5145 Naples has underwritten more insur- http://planet-hawaii.com/nanozine Leave message on 800 voice mail for quote. ance policies for cryotransport fund- ing than any other insurance agent. PERIASTRON P.O. Box 290549, Port Orange, FL 32127 Publishing for immortalists since 1990 E-mail: [email protected] If you’re looking for fast, depend- Now both a newsletter and a book! 1-800-749-3773 able, informative service, call Mary *PERIASTRON, the bimonthly newsletter, keeps you up on scientific and technical advances bearing on today! cryotransport. Only $3.00 per issue. Try it for one issue, you’ll like it! Mary E. Naples, CLU, ChFC

*A GUIDE TO ANTIAGING DRUGS, the book, tells The Venturist promotes immortalist philoso- 2400 Kehoe Avenue you both the good and bad of each one. And it can be updated as we learn more! Send for free brochure. phy. For free sample write: The Venturists; San Mateo, CA 94403 15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste. 160-169, PERIASTRON PUBLISHING 800/645-3338 PO Box 208, O’Connor ACT 2602, Australia Scottsdale, AZ 85260 E-Mail: [email protected] Email:[email protected]

3rd Qtr. 2000 • Cryonics 47 ORDER FORM All prices are in U.S. dollars. Minimum order: $5.00. Shipping and Handling not included. Overseas orders must be paid in U.S. dollars by Traveler’s Che- ques or International Money Order and must include additional 20% (of total) for shipping. All orders subject to availability and all prices subject to change.

Books and Videos Cryonics Magazine, 1 year (4 issues) Subscription Code Blue, by Nancy Fisher...... $ 6.99 United States...... $ 25.00 Cryonics: Reaching For Tomorrow ...... $ 8.95 Canada/Mexico...... $ 30.00 Engines of Creation, by Eric Drexler...... $ 10.95 Outside North America...... $ 35.00 Nanomedicine, by Robert A. Freitas Jr...... $ 89.00 Chiller, fiction by Sterling Blake...... $ 5.95 Clothing Becoming Immortal, by Wes DuCharme ...... $10.95 Alcor T-shirts (white or ash)...... $ 10.00 The First Immortal, by James Halperin...... $ 24.95 Alcor hats...... $ 10.00 The First Immortal, by James Halperin (autographed)....$ 34.95 Membership The First Immortal, by James Halperin (paperback)...... $ 8.99 Baby Boomers’ Guide, by Terry Grossman...... SEE PAGE 30 Alcor Membership Application Package...... Free

Cryobiology and the Feasibility of Cryonics The Molecular Repair of the Brain, by Ralph Merkle, Ph.D...... $ 3.00 A Will Cryonics Work? by Steve Harris, M.D, plus Why Cryonics Probably Will Work, by Michael Perry, Ph.D...... $ 3.50 Freezing of Living Cells, Mechanisms and Implications, by Peter Mazur, Ph.D...... $ 2.50 R “Cryobiology and the Feasibility of Cryonics” Package (all 4 of the above articles) ...... $ 7.50 T Nanotechnology I There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom, by Richard P. Feynman, Ph.D...... $ 1.50 Molecular Technology and Cell Repair Machines, by K. Eric Drexler, Ph.D...... $ 2.00 C Nanotechnology, by Brian Wowk ...... $ 2.50 Cell Repair Technology, by Brian Wowk ...... $ 2.50 L “Nanotechnology Package” (all 4 of the above articles) ...... $ 7.00 E Memory, Identity, and the Brain S The Terminus of the Self, by Max More ...... $ 3.00 A Commented Bibliography on Brain and Memory, by Thomas Donaldson, Ph.D...... $ 2.00 Isn’t That You Behind Those Foster Grants? by David Krieger ...... $ 1.50

& Cryotransport Reports (the human interest side) Her Blue Eyes Will Sparkle, by Linda Chamberlain ...... $ 2.00 R A Well-Loved Man, by Mary Margaret Glennie ...... $ 2.00 Alcor Legal History E Our Finest Hours: Notes on the Dora Kent Crisis, by Michael Perry, Ph.D...... $ 2.50 P Motion for Award of Attorneys’ Fees, by David Epstein ...... $ 2.50 General R Elements of a Cryonics Patient Transport, by Tanya Jones ...... $ 2.00 I Frozen Souls: Can a Religious Person Choose Cryonics? by Steve Bridge ...... $ 1.50 Lovecraft, Scientific Horror, Alienation, and Cryonics, by Steve Harris, M.D...... $ 1.50 N “Why We Are Cryonicists” and “Alcor: The Origin of Our Name” ...... Free Why Cryonics Can Work (brochure) ...... $ 0.75 T Cryonics and Christianity (brochure) ...... $ 0.75

S Discount Package (All of the above Articles and Reprints) ...... $ 35.00

The literature above can be ordered by mailing in this form with a check or money order SUBTOTAL:______or credit card authorization (Visa/MC), or by telephone (Visa/MC only) by calling Alcor: +20% if overseas 1-480-905-1906 or by FAX: 1-480-922-9027. NAME______PHONE______TOTAL:______

ADDRESS______CITY______STATE______ZIP______Send your order to: Alcor Foundation VISA/MC# (circle one)______EXP______7895 E. Acoma Dr., #110 SIGNATURE(credit card numbers only)______Scottsdale, AZ 85260-6916

48 Cryonics • 3rd Qtr. 2000