21ST CENTURY KIDS Author: Shannon Vyff

4TH QUARTER 2007 • VOLUME 28:4 2 From the Editor

3 Letter to the Editor Alcor member Norm Haberly responds to Ben Goertzel’s article “What is a Self that it Might be Revived?” (28:2).

4 Executive Director’s Report: Learn about Alcor’s presence at recent conferences, opportunities to net- COVER STORY: PAGE 12 work with Alcor members Marketing Cryonics: David Pascal, a around the world, cryo- marketing consultant who worked with preservation challenges the the Cryonics Institute and started the organization faces, and more. Cryonics Society, seeks a better response to cryonics from the public by 6 Book Review: 21st Century delving into the marketing process. Kids offers adventure, excitement, and a little bit of mystery for the young at heart of all ages.

Cover by Lily Henson 7 Promoting Cryonics: 10 Member Profile: Maria Entraigues & Shannon Vyff recently had Ruy Folguera: Brought together by the experience of running their love for music, Maria Entraigues Alcor’s information table at and Ruy Folguera are living their dream the WTA conference. Is life, composing movie soundtracks and word of mouth really performing in productions around the world. It’s not surprising their adven- effective outreach? turous spirits led them to cryonics. 8 Chatting with Alcor’s Tanya 16 Cryonics: Using Low Temperatures to Care for the Critically Ill: The brain is Jones at TV07 Hear how often put “on pause” in common medical procedures. Are cryonics patients Tanya Jones’ private conver- as “alive” as someone under general anesthesia and could cryonics come to sation with George Dvorsky, be seen as a form of long-term critical care? a board member for the 19 Uniform Anatomical Gift Act: Protecting Alcor’s Interests: Institute for Ethics and Has recent legislation changing the Uniform Anatomical Gift Emerging Technologies, Act in Arizona affected Alcor’s ability to accept its patients? left a lasting impression.

21 Tech News: Could living longer by eating less be genetically 24 Cryonics Poetry: Alcor biased? Does lowering insulin signaling in the brain promote member Beth Bailey longevity? How powerful are the effects of red wine against expresses why she chose preventing neurodegeneration? Implanted brain electrodes, memory seen in the making, and more in this installment of cryopreservation. Tech News.

www.alcor.org Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 1 FROM THE EDITOR

t has been a lively couple of months at Alcor with the entire staff in high Editor Igear preparing for the 7th Alcor conference – checking and rechecking Jennifer Chapman all of the logistical details, working as a team to tear out cabinets and coun- tertops for facility renovations, industriously putting the finishing touches Art Director on equipment so that it was ready for demonstration. Although the pace Jill Grasse of everyday life has returned to normal, the positive energy remains. Look for details about the recent Alcor conference in the 1st quarter 2008 issue. Contributing Writers One of the great pleasures of hosting an annual conference is the Barry M. Aarons opportunity to meet the people in attendance, especially because the Alcor Beth Bailey staff is often restricted to somewhat impersonal interactions with its Jennifer Chapman worldwide membership base, via email or the telephone. At the confer- Aschwin de Wolf ence, I was busily checking to ensure our next speaker was on hand and Chana de Wolf ready to take the stage when a lovely lady named Maria Entraigues intro- George Dvorsky duced herself. In this issue, she shares her story about the value of her David Pascal Alcor membership and how it interplays with her career in the arts and R. Michael Perry, Ph.D. entertainment industry (pg. 10). Stephen Van Sickle Meeting your valued customers in person during a conference is Shannon Vyff one form of outreach, but what about formal marketing? An Alcor member recently wrote me an email, saying, “All of the proponents of cryonics Contributing Photographers combined have not been able to convince more than 1,000 to 2,000 peo- Heline De Lillo Photography ple that this program makes sense. To me, that makes no sense!” David John Retallack Pascal, a marketing consultant who has given considerable thought to mar- ______keting the cryonics industry, proclaims that the solution is hiding in plain sight (pg. 12). And Aschwin de Wolf shares his insights into how the Copyright 2007 industry could benefit from a fresh perspective on the philosophical basis by Alcor Life Extension Foundation behind cryonics (pg. 16). All rights reserved. Finally, you will find a letter to the editor published in this issue. Reproduction, in whole or part, without Others are encouraged to follow this example by sending comments to: permission is prohibited. [email protected] Cr yonics Magazine is published quarterly.

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2 Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 www.alcor.org LETTER TO THE EDITOR

The Author Replies:

The scenarios Norm Haberly describes are important ones, which are plausibly likely to occur in our future. en Goertzel’s article “What is a Self that were going to awaken only the replica, do you However, I don’t consider them particu- Bit Might be Revived?” (28:2) addresses, think that it would be you to awaken? If there larly problematic from the perspective of but does not fully answer, similar questions was damage repairing and replacing the orig- self-theory. about identity that I’ve been struggling with. inal, would you feel that you had been pre- My view is that, in Norm’s Scenario 2, Below are three illustrative scenarios. served if we awoke only the replica? both the replica and the replacement My own opinion (subject to change!) is contain genuine and valid continuations Scenario 1: that, yes, there would now be two of my of the self of the individual who was “selves.” And while I have a preference that An entire individual is replaced, mol- cryopreserved. The specific mechanism my replaced self (rather than the replicated ecule-by-molecule, with identical mole- of physical continuation doesn’t make self) be the one that is revived if only one of cules (except where needed to repair the any difference. What matters is the expe- my selves is revived, I think this is an irra- cause of death) while the individual is in riencing self, which is the same in both tional preference that I should abandon. cryopreservation. the replica and the replacement. Comments: This is basically the sce- In Norm’s Scenario 3, again, it seems nario that Dr. Goertzel addresses. It isn’t Scenario 3: clear to me that, yes, if multiple replicas much different from what is happening to us We make several replicas of you and of a person are made and they all initial- now, with cells constantly being replaced. I awaken them all. ly contain the self of the pre-replica per- suspect that most of Alcor’s members would Comments: Are they all you? If your son at the moment of replication, then agree that the self is preserved in this sce- lover is alive, would he or she think all of all these replicas are validly that person. nario. them were you? Would “you” be OK if the These questions Norm raises, while other replicas treated “your” lover as their important, don’t strike me as being near- Scenario 2: lover too, or would you be beside yourself ly as troublesome as the question of with anguish? In general, what rights accrue whether a superhuman being that evolves An entire individual is both replaced to each of “you”? incrementally out of a person, but has and replicated, molecule-by-molecule, My own opinion is that each of us very little in common with the person while the individual is in cryopreservation, should decide, prior to our demise, how we who seeded it, is still in any real sense resulting in two identical individuals. would want most of our rights and assets dis- “that person.” This question raises the Comments: If we were to awaken these tributed – sort of like writing a will where our issue of the extent to which a person is a two identical individuals, each would think multiple selves are analogous to our children. set of patterns immanent in a system that he or she was the original, though neither Not knowing in advance how we’ll be over a brief interval of time, versus an would be. Neither one would be any more (or revived, or how many of “me” will be ongoing process of evolution over time. any less) like the original than the other, and revived, does make it more difficult, though This is a somewhat subtle matter, neither would have any more or any less con- perhaps a phrase such as “equal shares for whereas, to me, the question of whether tinuity with the original. Would the original each of me” might suffice for many things mind lives on the level of pattern/ self have now become two selves? that we want to leave ourselves. process or on the level of the underlying Suppose you were the person whose As for our lovers, well, I think that pick- physical substrate is basically a moot body was both replaced and replicated, and ing which one of us they like the best is up to point. What makes you “you” is the pat- suppose further that we were to awaken only them, and the rest of us/me will just have to tern/process of your self, not the mole- one of you. If you could decide in advance get over it. cules or bits from which the self which one of these bodies to awaken, would Norm Haberly, MBA, MSCS emerges. it matter to you? If we told you now that we Alcor member since 2004 Benjamin Goertzel, Ph.D.

www.alcor.org Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 3 Executive Director’s Report

The Company You Keep website: http://www.alcor.org/AboutAlcor/ I’ve had the pleasure of keeping some meetdirectors.html good company lately, having conversed with But by far the best company I’ve kept has countless members and supporters while been at the 7th Alcor Conference in October. attending recent conferences. It started up Seeing old friends and making new ones was north in Chicago at the World Transhumanist definitely the highlight, followed closely by Association (WTA) conference in late July. some fireworks sparked by audience questions. Attendees were exposed to cryonics at the If you missed it, all is not lost. We will shortly Membership Billing Difficulties Alcor information table run by Alcor member have a conference DVD set for sale. Look for In late 2006, Alcor began mainly sending Shannon Vyff and during presentations to the an announcement soon on Alcor News and membership dues invoices by email, in an audience, including one by our own Tanya here in Cr yonics Magazine. And if you’re inter- attempt to streamline operations and mini- Jones. In early September, I headed out to San ested in reading a live blog about the confer- mize postage expenses. This was less reliable Francisco for the Singularity Summit, another ence done by some volunteers, check it out in than desired, so printed invoices are again forward-thinking gathering. the October issue of Alcor News being sent through the postal mail. Those cur- While Alcor has no official policy on tran- (www.alcornews.org/weblog). rently receiving invoices by email for online shumanism and the related futurist topics payment will continue to do so, in addition to which are often the centerpiece of these Membership and receiving printed invoices. and similar conferences, there Outreach We regret that some members have not clearly is a strong cross-over in It’s no secret that Alcor mem- received one or more invoices as a result. We interest among Alcor members bers want to get to know one are attempting to contact those who show a and these organizations. Indeed, another and the newly released balance over 90 days past due and appreciate it truly makes my day when peo- 2007 Membership Directory pro- timely response to our letters and phone calls. ple come up to me and ask that vides a resource for doing just If you’d like to check on your account with burning question they’ve always that. Often conferences like Alcor, please contact: had about cryonics. So, I see these those mentioned above publish conferences as a rare and valued an “attendee list,” which lists Sheila Kimbrell, Bookkeeper opportunity for personal interaction those in attendance who are 877-462-5267 x 114 (toll-free) with those from outside the Scotts- willing to give out their con- 480-905-1906 x 114 (local) dale area, a kind of outreach that tact information to other 480-922-9027 (fax) holds strong potential for dispelling attendees – another good [email protected] common myths and growing Alcor’s way for our community to network. membership base in the future. We strongly encourage our members to Cryopreservations Coinciding with the Singularity Summit, get active in a local group, which tends to sup- In July, a last-minute case was accepted. the annual Alcor board meeting was held in port Alcor’s membership growth objectives. The patient was a Canadian resident with a San Francisco. The significance of the annual will stating his wish to be cryopreserved by New groups recently started: meeting is the election of board members and Alcor and directing his estate to pay the bill. officers as required by the organization’s Where: Chicago, IL The Alcor board chose to accept this case bylaws. Alcor has a self-perpetuating board of Contact: Paul Battista because of the clear statement of the individ- directors. This means that the outgoing board Email: [email protected] ual’s wishes for both cryopreservation and for elects the incoming board, which is very com- Alcor specifically to perform the cryopreser- mon among non-profits, particularly those Where: St. Petersburg, FL vation, and because the funding appeared to with significant financial assets, such as muse- Contact: Greg Jordan be readily available. However, when the ums and hospitals. Meet the current board of Email: [email protected] estate’s executor ran into challenges with the directors in the “About Alcor” section of our Webpage: http://cryonics.meetup.com/46 trust company holding the estate funds, he

4 Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 www.alcor.org Membership data as of October 1, 2007 abruptly resigned. The lack of an executor now, i.e. the computer can control the cry- for the estate means there is no one to carry oprotectant’s temperature, pressure, flow, out the decedent’s wishes, leading to a delayed refractive index and more. We are adding the payment. Several strategies are being dis- alarm conditions and constructing the user cussed with our attorneys. interface. Of course, we must yet rigorously The patient, A-2309, was straight-frozen, test the new system to make sure it works as because of his unexpected death and the time intended. The ACPS will be the most delays in getting his body to Arizona from advanced human cryopreservation system in Canada, which placed him beyond the point the world, with complete integration and con- where vitrification was possible. We instru- trol of the relevant cryopreservation parame- mented the patient for acoustic monitoring ters, cooling, operator feedback, safety sys- and collected fracturing data. The first frac- tems, and graceful failure modes. More details tures appeared, naturally, at higher than nor- will be provided in 2008. mal temperatures and this data will become interesting as we collect more on similar cases Nanomedicine Support in the future. Continues in 2007 During the last few months, we also cry- In June, Alcor announced on its blog the opreserved two members’ cats and a mem- continuing support for development of theo- ber’s dog. These individuals had been making retical nanomedical protocols and devices. pre-payments toward the pet’s cryopreserva- For the third year, Robert A. Freitas Jr. will tion, but the animals all died suddenly. If you receive a grant from Alcor to continue his are interested in cryonics for your companion pioneering work in nanotechnology. Freitas animal, it is best to make arrangements well in has acknowledged Alcor’s support in several advance. Alcor now has 33 pets in its care. peer-reviewed, published papers.

Advanced Cryoprotective Sincerely, Perfusion System Alcor’s Advanced Cryoprotective Perfu- sion System (ACPS) for whole-body vitrification is nearing completion. All of the necessary elements for perfusing the cryoprotectants through the body have control systems Stephen J. Van Sickle

www.alcor.org Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 5 21ST CENTURY KIDS Author: Shannon Vyff

book review by r. michael perry, ph.d.

hat will the future bring? This question is especially important Not long after- Wand haunting to those of us who have chosen cryonics: we want ward Avryn is to reach the future! However it turns out, we are betting it will be restored to health. worth seeing and sharing. One such hopeful futurist, Alcor member When he learns what Shannon Vyff, has written a science-fiction novel called 21st Century is going on he burns Kids. It offers adventure and excitement for the young at heart of all with determination to ages who like to stretch their imagination and ponder what life might solve the mystery and be like in the world to come. find his missing sis- The story starts in ters. Starting as a 2008. Twelve-year-old Avian- physical ten-year-old Shannon, her husband Michael, and her na and her younger brother but very bright and children (clockwise from top), Avryn are in a fatal car crash purposeful, he pro- Avianna, Avryn, and Avalyse and are cryopreserved. gresses quickly, fur- Avianna is hurt less so is ther enhances his restored from cryopreser- powers to become a vation first, 180 years bit larger than life, and presses for a third expedition to the planet. He later. A lot has changed, is allowed to join by the expedient of uploading his personality to a though basic similarities robot body while, as a precaution, his natural body is safely dormant remain. People still on Earth. If he — the robot — doesn’t return, his body on Earth can mainly inhabit bodies be awakened and take up where he left off. of flesh, though with Anti-uploaders and robots’ rightists may be disturbed by these some enhancements antics which, along with the ending, I found jolly good reading. If you to make them are among the bothered, you may have to suspend a little disapproval stronger and smarter. along with the usual science-fictional disbelief. Overall, though, I think There is an option to most with a reasonable futuristic itch will enjoy this anticipation of upload into a robot some of the possible future wonders. Don’t take it too seriously as body and then, if prophecy — the real future will probably be different for a number of you wish, download back reasons, including social, scientific, and so on. But it’s a fun read and later. Aging has been halted but not yet I could imagine it might convince some readers, especially the young reversed, so people already old might elect to upload into people it’s mainly directed at, to look further into cryonics. (It could artificial bodies and stay there, letting the original flesh die naturally in also make a fine holiday gift for children of cryonicists or friends.) I an unconscious state. There are many new faces and almost no familiar ones. Relatives and others who were born after Avianna was cryop- For more information about 21st Century Kids, visit: reserved have now developed into adults she must depend on as she http://www.21stcenturykidsbook.com/ continues with her education and upbringing. Her naturally high intel- ligence and the newly available brain enhancements rapidly close the gap between her and others her age. A mystery has developed, however, with her little sister Avalyse, who was in the accident with Avianna and Avryn but survived. Aval- yse has long since grown to adulthood and had a long, distinguished career, finally in her nineties uploading to a robot body to continue her life unhindered. But more recently she joined an expedition to a distant extrasolar planet. At some point all communications ceased, and no one knows the fate of the missing explorers. Avianna is determined to find out what happened, but she too disappears on her journey to the planet.

6 Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 www.alcor.org Promoting Cryonics By Shannon Vyff here are many intriguing ideas about how researched it extensively in many cases – yet Tcryonics can be promoted, but what’s a they were still not ready to sign the required simple thing we can all do? I’ve recently had membership contracts. the opportunity to give interviews about cry- Many people said they were planning on onics while promoting my newly published being cryopreserved at Alcor – their family book, 21st Century Kids. Interviews are always knows and is supportive, they have the funds a fun way to hear the basic assumptions soci- set aside, or they’ll sign someday. I explained Shannon Vyff ety has about cryonics, positive and negative. that in the event of an accidental death, it can But not everyone is comfortable giving be very difficult, almost impossible, to be cry- Shannon Vyff is one of the authors interviews, so what else can active Alcor opreserved at Alcor without first becoming a of The Scientific Conquest of Death and members do to promote cryonics? I suggest signed Alcor member. I tried to convey the the author of 21st Century Kids. She is handing out Alcor materials at a cryonics- peace of mind I get from knowing that if a K-2nd grade religious education friendly conference – a place where you are something unexpected happened, I’d have the teacher and a La Leche League Leader popular just because you are a cryonicist! support of Alcor to assist in acquiring an who lives in Austin, Texas, with her hus- When asked to run the Alcor informa- optimal cryopreservation with the best tech- band and three children. She has been tion table at the World Transhumanist Associ- nology in the field. an Alcor member since 2005. ation’s TransVision 07 conference in late July, So I encourage you to help with promot- I happily accepted. The conference, I knew, ing cryonics in a fun and non-confrontation- Contact the author: would be filled with people who had heard al manner by simply manning an information [email protected] about cryonics. I spent three days talking with table at a futurist conference: Accelerated people from all religions and different eco- Change, Singularity Summit, World Future Conferences of Interest: nomic and educational backgrounds. Society, TransVision, and more... just contact Accelerating Change During my stay, I talked with at least 50 Alcor about acquiring materials and key talk- http://www.accelerating.org/ people, none of whom were hostile to cryon- ing points. In some cases, you can also accelerating_change.html ics. I talked with young and old, couples and inform Alcor about cryonics-friendly events singles, parents and children – and it felt great that they may want to speak or network at in Singularity Summit to have people wanting to talk to me to find the future. http://www.singinst.org/summit2007/ out more about cryonics. About all of them After you’ve gained some experience you took Cr yonics Magazine and other literature may want to try a technology conference or World Future Society and around 60% of people took an applica- even an end-of-life workshop in your area http://www.wfs.org/2007main.htm tion for membership. However, only one where you may encounter people who have signed to become an Alcor member. He had misconceptions about cryonics or simply TransVision life insurance already in place and had been haven’t heard of it. I find such experiences http://www.transvision2007.com/ researching cryonics for years. For most oth- rewarding. Many say they never thought of it ers, the process of acquiring insurance before and are thankful to have heard more. The Forsight Institute seemed daunting. I’ve taken materials to end-of-life workshops http://foresight.org/news/index.html Now I had sort of assumed people at my church and talked with many friends. In would be applying for membership with Alcor simply being open about my cryonics Know of more? Let us know! left and right. I quickly realized that – yes, the arrangements in my everyday life, I am pro- [email protected] attendees did know about cryonics, had moting the idea. Finally, when people ask hard questions about the soul plete the process, but I’ve found that the more or the pathophysiology of that people learn, the more they appreciate ischemic injury – questions the comfort of taking a chance on cryonics. that you may not be able to Overall, I had a splendid time at TransVi- answer to their liking – refer sion 07 talking with so many who knew about them to Alcor’s extensively cryonics and were enthusiastic about its informative website where just chance of working. It was exhilarating to be www.helenedelillo.com about all questions can be around so many humans that care about and

Photo by Helene De Lillo Photography, answered. It is important to work towards a better future for humanity. encourage them to consider Even though I enjoy promoting cryonics to signing up for cryonics as they people who’ve heard nothing about it, there is Shannon Vyff met some interesting people while handing out learn more. At any point they something special about being in a room full literature about Alcor at TransVision 07 in Chicago. can always choose not to com- of people who fully support it.

www.alcor.org Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 7 Chatting with... Alcor’s Tanya Jones at TV07 By George Dvorsky

t’s funny how these noted during her presentation, “Time is trau- Ithings go. There I was ma.” During the cocktail reception, I asked at the TransVision 2007 her how long would be too long. She replied celebrity reception in that any kind of delay is detrimental, but that late July, drinking white after 24 hours the real serious and irrevocable wine, munching on hors damage starts to occur, namely cellular degra- d’oeuvres and eagerly dation and a host of other neural problems as awaiting the arrival of the brain begins to lose its cohesion and William Shatner. I was organization. looking forward to a I asked her if Alcor has a policy for once in a lifetime oppor- refusing to treat severely damaged patients, tunity. say a person that had been terribly damaged And then I real- by autopsy or by a motor vehicle accident. She ized that I was in the answered that in such cases, where informa- company of Tanya tion theoretic death is all but assured, it is not Jones, chief operating up to Alcor but rather the predetermined officer for Alcor. I had wishes of the Alcor member. When an indi- William Shatner was a much-anticipated never met Tanya before and I have yet to visit vidual signs up with Alcor they specify the speaker at TV07, but one attendee found the Alcor facility in Arizona. I was very his conversation with Tanya Jones impressed with her TV07 presentation equally captivating. from earlier in the week, and I was bursting with questions. So, as we were waiting for Shatner to arrive, we began to chat.

To Freeze and Protect During her talk two days prior, Tanya gave conference attendees the rundown on some of Alcor’s more recent work and initiatives. It was a fascinating glimpse into the world of cryonics and what it takes to run a Several presenters at TransVision 07 company on the technological and represented cryonics, including (left to right) social outskirts. Ralph Merkle, Ph.D., Tanya Jones, Shannon Vyff, She noted how Alcor teams can and her husband Michael. be rushed to the bedside of dying patients as they ready for the suffusion of cryoprotectants in preparation for cryop- various extremes to which they will still agree reservation. Without this highly-engineered to be cryopreserved. Alcor unquestioningly liquid, preservation would be completely dis- adheres to those wishes. astrous with each cell suffering a host of Tanya also described the freezing process problems, including extensive ice crystalliza- which is done under strictly controlled condition and the eventual threat of it losing all its tions. The body is slowly brought down to the physical integrity. The cryoprotectant gel, optimally low temperature and is carefully which replaces the blood after death, essen- monitored for tissue fracturing. Quite frus- tially converts the body into a glass-like state. tratingly, every preservation that has ever been The body’s informational state is thus retained conducted at Alcor has suffered from fractur- at the highest level currently possible. ing of some sort. Tanya described the sound Consequently, getting the patient into as similar to ice-cubes popping when added to cold storage quickly is paramount. As Tanya a drink.

8 Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 www.alcor.org revived rat running around? Why couldn’t you guys have used cute little bunny rabbits instead – it would be much better PR to see a bunch of revived bunny rabbits hopping around.” Tanya laughed and noted how animal experimentation will likely escalate to include larger animal models.

Cool Company I have yet to sign up for cryonics. My reasons are, admittedly, personal, complicated and even non-nonsensical. There may come a day, however, when I’ve reconciled my broad- er existential outlook with the prospect of cryonics. Until then, however, I will laud the efforts of Alcor and continue to advocate for the right to a long life. They are certainly blaz- ing a fascinating trail into the future. Oh, and I totally missed the opportunity to meet William Shatner. I barely even noticed that he was in the room when I was chatting with Tanya. Now why do you suppose I have absolutely no regrets about that? Tanya Jones presented at the World Transhumanist Association’s conference about the engineering developments underway at Alcor.

I squirmed in my seat listening to this wards thinking that has arguably landed Alcor description, wondering how our high tech in trouble in the past. The scandalous Ted descendants will repair this sort of “informa- Williams affair, which Tanya claims is finally tion theoretic” brain damage. all over and done with, is an example of how a new and unrecognized industry can face Honesty, Integrity, Credibility undue challenges and public scrutiny. More I was impressed with Tanya’s honesty, formal and cogent regulation will not only and I told her so. By being open about current give Alcor needed credibility as they work to limitations, Alcor come across as being less create a viable business, it will also result in a safer and more effective industry. interested in the “sell” aspect and more con- George Dvorsky cerned with creating a credible and legitimate industry. Along these lines, I asked Tanya From Grave to Cradle George Dvorsky serves on the about regulation and whether or not she Interestingly, while Alcor is primarily Board of Directors for the Institute for believes there will ever be such a thing as a concerned with cryopreservation, they are Ethics and Emerging Technologies. monitored cryonics industry. also looking ahead to a time when cellular George is the Editor-in-Chief of Better- Not only did Tanya wholeheartedly repair will finally become possible. They proj- humans, co-founder and president of agree, she is convinced that it is inevitable and ect themselves as being an all-in-one facility. the Toronto Transhumanist Association, that a big battle is looming. “But Alcor,” Today they cryopreserve people; tomorrow and the producer of Sentient Develop- claimed Tanya, “is ready.” She quickly out- they hope to be the company that restores ments blog and podcast. Mr. Dvorsky lined her plans and strategy for what she health to those that are cryopreserved. served as conference chair for TransVi- thinks will be a long and drawn out struggle to To this end they are creating a research sion 2004, the WTA’s annual confer- get the kind of regulation in place that would lab in which rats will be cryopreserved and ence. be to the benefit of Alcor and the burgeoning experimented upon. This approach makes industry of cryonics – a battle that she perfect sense. It will allow them to not just Taken from George P. Dvorsky’s believes will come sooner rather than later. As look ahead, but to gauge the effectiveness of blog, Sentient Developments, which it currently stands, Alcor is regulated under current preservation procedures and tech- offers transhumanist and technopro- the Anatomical Gift Act, which makes Alcor nologies. gressive perspectives on science, philos- a kind of glorified research lab and organ Jokingly, I complained to Tanya about ophy, ethics, and the future of intelli- storage facility, which I suppose is better than their use of rats. “The thought of a little cry- gent life: http://sentientdevelopments. being acknowledged as a funeral parlor. onics lab filled with frozen rats in tiny dewars blogspot.com It’s this lack of recognition and back- is unsettling,” I said. “Who wants to see a

www.alcor.org Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 9 Member Profile: Maria Entraigues and Ruy Folguera

By Chana de Wolf

s a child, Maria Entraigues would fly Awith her parents to Spain each year to visit her family. While there, she especially liked watching performances by her uncle, a well-known Spanish singer. Maria fondly recalls attending his concerts, which nour- ished her budding desire to become a performer herself. “My uncle encouraged me early on,” she says. Later in life, as lead singer for the house band at the Sheraton Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Maria was already beginning to live her dream. But that dream Maria at a music video shoot for the end got a little bigger in 1991 when band audi- titles song she co-wrote with Ruy called tions were held and she met Ruy Folguera, a “Free Our Love” for the film “The Magnificent talented pianist who easily passed the trial. Ambersons,” which Ruy scored. Maria and Ruy began dating shortly thereafter, brought together by their love for As part of their careers as performers, music. Ruy is the progeny of a long line of they often get to travel when a director asks mathematicians and engineers, but he was them to compose the music while a film is always most interested in music and film and being shot. Their next project, in which Maria sought to be a composer. He was especially has acting and singing roles, takes them to enamored with the combination of music and Romania to work on the movie Dare To Love film, and remembers recording movie music Me, a musical directed by famous director on tape as a young boy. Encouraged and Alfonso Arau about the life of Carlos Gardel. inspired by one another, Maria and Ruy both “We work on movies together a lot,” says applied for and received scholarships to Maria. “We’re lucky that way.” With a studio attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, in their L.A. home and an endless supply of where they lived from 1992 until 1995. Maria Hollywood productions seeking soundtracks, is now a degreed voice performer, while Ruy it may seem like their luck will never run out. earned degrees in commercial arranging and But Maria knows better. “Since I was a film scoring, which refers to writing the back- child I have been obsessed with the fact that ground music for a movie or other produc- we have to age, deteriorate, and die and that tion. there’s still no way out of it.” This obsession Since moving to their current residence drove her to zealously research anti-aging sub- in Los Angeles, California, in 1995, Maria and jects in her spare time. “I always have my lit- Ruy have continued to combine their talents tle laptop with me,” she says. “I keep reading in such a way that allows them to work as much as I can on subjects related to life together on many creative projects. Some- extension, medicine, biology, genetics, tran- times Maria is even able to keep up her acting shumanism, and bio-nanotechnology. I think chops with roles in movies such as the Woody I first read about Alcor ten years ago, but Allen film Picking Up the Pieces, which Ruy somehow I thought it was only for very scored. Most recently, Ruy did the electronic wealthy people and kind of a long shot any- music and orchestrations for Rush Hour 3, way.” while Maria worked as music direction assis- Then, around three years ago, Maria tant. began reading about Dr. Aubrey de Grey and

10 Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 www.alcor.org Alcor member,” Maria recalls. “I had no doubt then.” As a next step, Maria and Ruy attended the 2006 Alcor conference in Scottsdale, Ari- zona. Having had such a positive experience at SENS, Maria was already convinced that she should sign up with Alcor. Ruy was “hooked” on the idea, but still needed to hear more about it. “Going to the conference was perfect,” Maria in the Alcor patient care bay during her tour Maria recalls. “We met of the facility at the 6th Alcor conference Maria and Ruy at the premiere of the movie many members there “Zapata.” Ruy scored the music for the and had the chance to movie and Maria sang and co-wrote ask them questions. The presentations were ence, enabling her to work on humanity’s songs for the soundtrack. very educational, and the tour of the [Alcor] biggest problems with her own hands. facility was impressive. In a way we were able “Becoming an Alcor member has, in a way, his plan for defeating aging called Strategies to see that this is real, and we left the confer- put me at ease in the sense that I am doing my for Engineered Negligible Senescence ence really believing in it.” part towards helping something I really (SENS). Realizing that she might be of help But that doesn’t mean they are totally believe in,” she reflects. “I feel special to be in communicating his ideas, she offered her convinced that one day cryopreserved peo- part of an exclusive group of pioneers trying services as a Spanish translator for his web- ple will be repaired to a healthy state. to achieve probably the biggest milestone in site. While attending Dr. de Grey’s second “Nobody can guarantee that yet, but we the history of humanity.” SENS conference in Cambridge in 2005, really believe in the project, and we under- Maria and Ruy met Dr. de Grey in person. “It stand that this is an option we have now. In Contact these members: was there, while at dinner, he passionately reality, it is the only option we have now, Maria Entraigues: [email protected] explained to me why I should become an and even though the whole concept sounds Ruy Folguera: [email protected] farfetched to most people, it is plausible.” The more Maria and Ruy informed themselves about the cryonics experiment, the more reasonable it became to them. It was a mere two months after the Alcor conference that Maria and Ruy formalized their memberships with Alcor. And their adventurous spirits don’t stop there. Maria, who has fostered a lifelong fascination with astronomy and space exploration, woke up one morning in the not too distant past with a strong urge to leave earth. “I have always wanted to go to space,” she proclaims. Instead of becoming an astronaut, she did the next best thing – she learned to fly. Although many cryonicists would tremble at the thought of taking up such a risky hobby, Maria feels that pursuing her true happiness is one of the most important aspects of being a life extensionist. “What is the point of living a long life if you don’t use that time to do what you enjoy most?” she asks earnestly. Maria and Ruy are licensed pilots and are Because of her interests, Maria some- shown here flying their personal airplanes. times wishes she had dedicated her life to sci-

www.alcor.org Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 11 MARKETING CRYONICS

By David Pascal

When it comes to successfully marketing cryonics, David Pascal has a bright idea:

Think inside the box

ow can we get a better response to cryonics from the public? HClearly our existing efforts have not been a success. The numbers speak for themselves. There’s been over forty years of media coverage and press attention. And the result? Barely more than a thousand people signed up and funded for cryopreservation. Each year cigarettes, illegal drugs, and pop tunes sell in the billions. Cryon- ics memberships sell in the dozens. More media attention has been lavished on cryonics than on Madonna. Yet almost no one seems to want it. Why? Advocates of cryonics speculate that we seem hard-wired by evolution to crave self-termination or that we live in a culture of death. Of course these are myths; no ‘death gene’ has ever been found, and our ‘culture of death’ spends billions each month on medical care and longevity enhancement. But perhaps the most crippling myth is that we have done all we can to sell cryonics. Our marketing efforts have failed, and so any marketing efforts will always fail. This is a bit like saying that since if you try to hop to the moon in one mighty bound, but only rise a few feet, then rockets can never reach the moon either. But rockets ha ve reached the moon. And well-funded, carefully- researched, thoughtfully-designed marketing efforts have gained worldwide popularity for innumerable products. Professional marketing expertise can help. That’s why every major firm in existence engages in marketing. Because, done right, it works. But how do professionals do it properly? What is marketing? How does it really function? And how might we successfully apply it to cryonics?

12 Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 www.alcor.org The Marketing Process garten, will not be representative. Once a rep- configured to mesh as tightly as possible with The first step in understanding marketing resentative sample is determined and consumer preferences. is to put aside misunderstandings. explored, however, something priceless That’s why the process is so powerful. It First of all: marketing is not advertising. results: hard data about that target market’s doesn’t push things people don’t want. It finds It is not about getting press attention or likes, dislikes, concerns, preferences – all the out what they do want and then gives it to media coverage or even about better public relevant factors that go into their behavior as them. Resisting good marketing means resist- relations. Yes, those things are sometimes – a consumer. ing the things you most desire. Very few peo- not always – elements in a marketing cam- The next step? Marketers apply that ple can do that. Very few want to. paign. But the cor e of marketing lies in spe- information to shaping or packaging the And what particularly makes it powerful is cialized processes of information-gathering, product in a way that satisfies consumer crite- the fact that it is not rooted in speculation, but and in using that information to shape what ria for making a purchase. This step is critical. in hard data. It’s easy enough to sit around a one offers to the market, and how one pres- Again, and contrary to rumor, marketers do table and express one’s gut feeling as to what ents that offer. not ram unwanted products onto the public the market may want. But an expressive gut is It isn’t about presenting something you through relentless repetition. It is far safer, not a marketing tool. Market researchers do want and promoting the reasons that you easier, and more effective simply to find out not speculate. They gather data until they can want it. It’s about asking the public what they the consumers’ preferences, and then create make statistically valid predictions about public want, and providing and presenting it in ways or present products that satisfy those prefer- tastes and public behavior. that they respond to. ences. Marketing is a kind of creative empathy. When an appealing product or approach Learning How to Listen And it is through such creative empathy – is crafted in this way, and when tests show Could we apply this process to cryonics? professionally structured and applied – that samples of the public responding positively, Certainly. And I strongly encourage the exist- the challenge of building memberships and then mass promotional approaches are added. ing cryonics organizations to give it a try. A gaining public approval can be found. Pro- This is where advertising often comes in. statistically valid study of public reactions to vided we have the will and discipline to seek Although alternative means of promotion are cryonics could be done easily enough through it. common too, such as word-of-mouth market- a competent marketing research firm. I per- How is professional marketing structured ing, telemarketing, direct sales, ‘stealth’ or sonally would suggest an extensive in-depth and applied? Essentially it involves six steps. viral marketing, and other approaches. professional study examining everything from The first step is defining your goals. And in Once this carefully-designed product is the packaging, pricing and services the public business, goals are best achieved the more presented to the public, the fifth step begins: might like in this area, to more subtle tightly they are focused. It isn’t always a mat- monitoring the reaction of the market and approaches such as psychographic and seg- ter of pursuing growth in every sense and getting feedback. mentation analysis. every way. Rolls-Royce, aimed at a tiny niche And the last step? The last step involves Gathering the data will be challenging. market, is a thriving success. The Edsel and incorporating that feedback, looping it back But it will be rewarding. Because all we know the Yugo, aimed at mass sales, are out of busi- into the beginning of the process, and going now for sure is that the existing approaches ness. Does an organization want more cus- through the whole process again, so that the have not worked. They haven’t worked tomers or more income? Does it want pres- product is continually being upgraded and re- because we’ve been presenting cryonics to tige or notoriety? Either can be achieved, but people in a way that doesn’t appeal to them. the first step involves vision: what and where We need to find out exactly why it doesn’t specifically do you want your organization to appeal, and we need to find out what does. If be? all we do repeat what doesn’t work, all we’ll Answering that question shapes what the get is the same results. research goals should be. And once the research goals are set, marketers gather as Numbers and Depths much relevant information as they can about Suppose that Alcor considered offering the consumers they’re targeting. Common some form of DNA testing to the public as tools are surveys, questionnaires, focus part of its business service. Or suppose that groups, interviews, and covert or direct it considered opening a Toronto facility. observation. These are closely focused, specific questions. Sample markets need not be huge – Marketing is the systematic discovery of what Once such questions have been developed, Gallup Polls of nationwide accuracy require the market wants and how the market likes to simple polling or data gathering can provide no more than 1500 people. But that popula- be approached based on qualitative and/or information that would help Alcor make a tion must be carefully balanced and selected. quantitative market research. It then shapes better business decision. This is the function Fifteen hundred individuals at random and re-shapes the product and/or its presentation until those wants are satisfied. of what is called quantitative marketing attending a Billy Graham rally, or kinder- research.

www.alcor.org Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 13 Other marketing questions are wider and ‘It’s too expensive.’ Insurance can make cryop- more open-ended. “Why do people join or reservation as affordable as cable. ‘You can’t leave?” “What kind of visual imagery might raise the dead.’ What about the thousands be most effective?” “How can we get more who’ve died on operating tables and been people to sign up?” And then there’s the revived? The embryos that have been frozen, most challenging question of all – “Which implanted, and brought to term? questions are the best ones to ask?” Because Each objection has an answer. And the fact is that you often have to study the when all the objections are answered – the lis- market before you can even frame the right tener still creeps away. Clearly there are aver- questions. sions to cryonics that have nothing to do with This area involves qualitative, or the reasons given. exploratory, research. Good qualitative The reasons given are certainly not irrel- To choose cryonics is often to stand alone – research probes deeper market preferences. evant, and the practice of educating the pub- and to face the social criticism that accrues to The questions used in quantitative research lic is certainly very important. Advertising anyone who does something outside the ideally develop from qualitative research, and icon David Ogilvy nailed this perfectly when ordinary. Social psychology predicts that very that’s where good marketing really begins. he said that buyers have a very deep need for few people indeed will take such a singular I suspect this will especially be the case rational reasons – to justify the irrational option. And the history of cryonics confirms it. with cryonics. You see, few people realize urges that really drive their choices. that casual information-gathering often mis- Can marketing techniques unearth those leads more than it informs. Consumers often deeper, less obvious reasons? Of course. Robert Cialdini4 have shown decisively that don’t really know what motivates them to buy, Entire branches are devoted precisely to many of our most important choices are and the reasons they give when they’re asked uncovering visceral and unconscious reac- made simply because of social influence. We have little – although not nothing – to do with tions. Marketing analysts such as Harvard’s see similar others making a choice and we it. Dr. Gerald Zaltmann1 and France’s Dr. make the same choice. Humans are an imita- Political marketers know this well. In Clotaire Rappaile2 regularly – and successfully tive species, deeply predisposed to group interviews and focus groups, respondents – employ projective psychological techniques pressure and peer influence. And I suspect often select the more politically correct candi- to probe such factors for leading Fortune 500 this has affected the acceptance of cryonics date because that’s the choice that’s socially companies. profoundly. approved. Yet once in the ballet box, votes go What might such factors be in cryonics? Cryonics members are rare. Many of to the hard-liner who calls for criminals to They may well be related to subjective fears them are isolated or anonymous. Few adver- hang. involving helplessness and dependency while tise their affiliation. Fewer still are household This isn’t simple hypocrisy. People’s in a vulnerable state. Or fears of social con- names known to the common man. The vast reports about themselves are honest ones. demnation. Or the result of childhood pho- majority of potential cryonics members don’t Respondents really do believe that health food bias relating to fears of defying God or the know, see, or associate with anyone who has is healthy and junk food is junk. Unfortunate- ‘natural order of things.’ Or quite probably chosen the cryonics option. ly, they go out and buy the junk food anyway. something which we don’t, at the moment, Fortunately, marketing problems tend to And marketing is concerned with what they even suspect. Which reasons are central? contain the clues to their solution. I once sug- do, not what they say. How can they best be addressed? You simply gested to more than one cryonics organiza- How does this affect cryonics? Greatly. don’t know until you do the research. tion that it write a letter to every agent in the Simply put, the rational case has failed. Cry- But one thing we do know: the explicit entertainment and arts industries, pointing onicists have made a very rational case for responses people give in focus groups and out the media attention likely to follow their decades, and the case could not be stronger. questionnaires are not clearly reflected in their famous client should that client sign up for If cryonics works, you live – perhaps for a subsequent behavior. Those responses mat- cryonics. Would it be possible to persuade a very, very long time. If it doesn’t, you remain ter; they are a critical part of shaping or justi- publicity agent that if publicity at any price is no deader than you would have been other- fying that behavior. But they don’t always good, worldwide publicity for the price of an wise. It is an affordable choice between predict it or explain it. In the case of cryon- Alcor membership would be a good bargain potentially tremendous gain and nothing to ics a depth approach will almost certainly be indeed? I think so. If Qaballah can get lose. Yet, the choice has almost invariably necessary. Madonna in the papers for months, why can’t been against cryonics. cryonics? Many of us have experienced this, I’m Social Psychology Behind the suggestion lies marketing sure, in talks with people. Objections no Semi-rational factors explored by both practice and social-psychological principle. sooner come up than we shoot them down. qualitative and quantitative research are part Research in both areas shows that people will ‘No reputable scientist supports cryonics.’ Drexler, of the discipline of social psychology. Acad- do what they see others doing. Most Ameri- Minsky, Merkle, Fahy, Wowk, de Grey, Harris. emic researchers from Stanley Milgram3 to cans are not moved by Eric Drexler’s or Mar-

14 Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 www.alcor.org vin Minsky’s choice for cryonics because most firms. They have many other duties to per- Americans do not know who these worthy form, and many other services to provide. gentlemen are. If they saw a Tom Hanks, a But the value of a specialist organization Danny De Vito, a Tiger Woods opting for focused on such efforts is obvious. To that cryopreservation and liking it, would they be end, in late 2005 publisher and direct mail more inclined to sign too? The studies pre- specialist Nick Pavlica, Canadian attorney dict yes. Bruce Waugh, and I formed a nonprofit Or consider families. One reason the organization called the Cryonics Society growth of family memberships in cryonics is (www.cryonicssociety.org) to do just that – on the rise is that children and spouses and sib- put a polished professional case for cryonics lings see significant, similar, respected others before the public. making the choice for cryonics. They see oth- So far the Society has already put a posi- Photo by John Retallack ers do it, and so they make the same choice. tive message about cryonics before hundreds The more families join, the more the effect of thousands of people. And it has not been David Pascal spreads. And marketing policies can be shaped easy to do. The Cryonics Society is not affili- to encourage this and to encourage it in other ated or supported by any cryonics services David Pascal is a marketing consult- social networks, possibly with social networks organization. The only support we get comes ant living in Upstate New York. For- with compatible outlooks such as transhuman- from tax-deductible contributions by people merly Member Relations and Public ists, extropians and other futurists. in the cryonics community. What we can do Relations Coordinator at the Cryon- Another social psychology principle is in the future depends totally on how much ics Institute, David is currently Sec- cognitive dissonance. Get people supporting support people give us today. But to the retary of the Cryonics Society, an an idea intellectually, even without commit- degree that the Society has already raised independent non-profit organization ment, and commitment follows. People who awareness of cryonics and the need to market dedicated to the better promotion are asked to make a positive case for some- it better, our efforts have been well spent. of cryonics. He has a Bachelor of thing end up convincing themselves. And what should we be most aware of? Science degree in Psychology and a One marketing idea along these lines That ways to make cryonics more acceptable Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisci- might be to blanket as many universities as to the public are there and that there are plinary Studies in the Humanities. possible with the annual offer of a thousand proven methods to find them. Cryonics can Pascal is a professional copywriter dollars in scholarship funds for a winning be made appealing, attractive, desirable, even and has worked as a freelance mar- essay about why one should sign up for cry- popular. If pet rocks and tobacco and bungee keting consultant since the mid- onics. The organization would look good for jumping can be sold, cryonics can too. It is nineties for companies such as supporting education; students would benefit; simply a matter of studying the market and Xerox and Kodak. and many of them would be thinking and finding the key. arguing strongly in favor of cryonics member- I have always been surprised at the way More information about the Cryon- ship. Theory and practice suggest member- advocates of cryonics champion science, ics Society is available online at ships would burgeon. analysis, and the use of qualified professionals www.CryonicsSociety.org. in technical research – yet rely on luck, intu- Science ition, and guesswork when it comes to mar- More information about David and and the Science of Marketing keting. When we learn to apply the same pro- about marketing is available at his Marketing cryonics can be a frustrating fessional rigor to social research that we apply web site at www.davidpascal.com business. Perhaps understandably. Existing to cryobiological research, we will take a giant cryonics organizations are not marketing step towards making cryonics a reality. Contact the author: [email protected]

References

1 Zaltman, G., How Customers Think, Harvard Business School Press: 1st ed., 2003.

2 Rapaille, C., The Culture Code, Broadway Press: 1st American ed., 2006.

3 Milgram, S., Obedience To Authority, Harpercollins: 1st ed., 1974.

4 Cialdini, R., Influence, Collins: 1st ed., 1998.

www.alcor.org Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 15 CRYONICS Using low temperatures to care for the critically ill

By Aschwin de Wolf

Conventional medicine routinely puts the brain “on pause” to treat a patient, such as with general anesthesia and hypothermic circulatory arrest. Because the person is capable of being restored to health, these unconscious states are distinguished from death. Using the same philosophy, is it possible that cryonics patients could come to be seen as undergoing long-term critical care?

Introduction Metabolic Arrest In contemporary medicine terminally ill Putting the brain on pause is not as far patients can be declared legally dead using fetched as it seems. The brain of a patient two different criteria: whole brain death or undergoing general anesthesia has ceased cardiorespiratory arrest. Although many peo- being conscious. But because we know that ple would agree that a human being without the brain that represents the person is still any functional brain activity, or even without there in a viable body, we do not think of higher brain function, has ceased to exist as a such a person as “temporarily dead.” person, not many people realize that most One step further than general anesthesia patients who are currently declared legally is hypothermic circulatory arrest. Some med- dead by cardiorespiratory criteria have not yet ical procedures, such as complicated neuro- died as a person. Or to use conventional bio- surgical interventions, require not only cessa- medical language, although the organism has tion of consciousness but also complete ces- ceased to exist as a functional, integrated sation of blood flow to the brain. In these whole, the neuroanatomy of the person is still cases the temperature of the patient is low- intact when a patient is declared legally dead ered to such a degree (≈16 degrees Celsius) using cardiorespiratory criteria. that the brain can tolerate a period without It might seem odd that contemporary any circulation at all. Considering the fact that medicine allows deliberate destruction of the parts of the human brain can become irre- properties that make us uniquely human (our versibly injured after no more than five min- capacity for consciousness) unless one con- utes without oxygen, this ability of the brain siders the significant challenge of keeping a to survive for at least an hour at these temper- brain alive in a body that has ceased to func- atures without any oxygen is quite remark- tion as an integrated whole. But what if we able. could put the brain “on pause” until a time Again, because we know that in the above when medical science has become advanced cases the brain that represents the person is enough to treat the rest of the body and still there in a viable body, we do not think of restore the patient to health? such a person as “temporarily dead.” These

16 Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 www.alcor.org examples illustrate that the medical community standing of the philosophy behind cryonics. ture) of the brain without requiring unfeasible already recognizes and accepts the fact that a Human cryopreservation does not offer any- cooling rates. Although electrical activity has medical procedure that produces loss of con- thing radically different than the already estab- recently been demonstrated in vitrified rabbit sciousness, and even loss of circulation, does lished rationality behind general anesthesia and brain slices, reversible vitrification of the not constitute irreversible death. hypothermic circulatory arrest; it merely intro- human brain without loss of cellular viability is Unfortunately, general anesthesia and duces lower temperatures and longer care. There- currently not possible. The current research hypothermic circulatory arrest cannot be used fore, the difference between contemporary objective, therefore, is to improve on these vit- to pause the brain long enough to find a treat- medicine and cryonics is quantitative, not qual- rification agents to allow for reproducible vitri- ment for a person who has been declared legal- itative, in nature. Likewise, the relationship fication and recovery of organs with complete ly dead by cardiorespiratory criteria. A person between cryonics and religion is not qualita- long-term viability. Such a breakthrough would under general anesthesia may require tens, if tively different than that between contempo- not only lead to cryogenic organ banking for not hundreds, of years of artificial circulation rary medicine and religion. In both cases med- transplantation and research but would remove to keep the brain viable until medical science is ical technology is used to preserve life. the most fundamental obstacle to suspended able to return him to health. Leaving financial But does the procedure of cooling a animation of humans. considerations aside, artificial circulation of an patient to cryogenic temperatures not cause organ, let alone such a vulnerable organ as the injury in itself? Most of the human body con- Brain Death and Cryonics brain, will produce increasing brain injury over sists of water and lowering the body below Although a vitrified patient cannot be time, and ultimately, destruction of the person. the freezing point of water will produce mas- rewarmed and restored to health with con- Hypothermic circulatory arrest eliminates sive ice formation. For this reason, patients temporary technologies, the extremely low the need for metabolic support of the brain, who present for cryonics are protected from temperatures at which a patient is main- but only for a limited period of time. Current ice damage by using a cryoprotective agent to tained permit possible resuscitation of a research into hypothermic circulatory arrest reduce, or even eliminate, ice formation. Con- patient in the far future without any risk of indicates that the brain might tolerate up to 3 ventional extracorporeal bypass technologies deterioration during long-term care. In this hours of complete circulatory arrest if the are used to circulate the solution throughout sense it compares favorably to procedures temperature is lowered close to the freezing the body. When enough water is replaced with such a hypothermic circulatory arrest point of water (zero degrees Celsius). This is the cryoprotective agent the patient is main- which allow for only a few hours to treat a not nearly long enough to put the brain on tained at cryogenic temperatures for long patient. This not only offers the option to pause to allow the patient to reach a time where term care. Historically the cryoprotective treat patients who cannot be treated with his current medical condition may be treatable. agents that were used in cryonics are main- contemporary medical technologies, it also In light of these limitations, it is understand- stream cryoprotective agents for cells such as offers the possibility to treat medical condi- able that no serious attempts are currently DMSO and glycerol. High concentrations of tions where successful resuscitation is pos- being made to continue long-term care for a glycerol or DMSO can significantly reduce ice sible but higher brain function will be lost patient whose body has stopped functioning as formation, but cannot eliminate it altogether. if care is resumed at normal body temper- an integrated organism. A better alternative to conventional cry- ature. But if low temperatures can extend the oprotection is vitrification. Vitrification offers A good example of this is cardiac arrest. period that the brain can survive without circu- the prospect of cooling an organ to cryogenic Patients who have suffered more than 5-7 lation, much lower temperatures should be able temperatures without ice formation. Although minutes of cardiac arrest can often be resus- to extend this period even further. At -196 vitrification of pure water requires extremely citated, but some of the most vulnerable cells degrees Celsius, during human cryopreserva- high cooling rates, these cooling rates can be in the brain (such as the hippocampal CA1 tion, molecular activity has become so negligi- greatly reduced if high concentrations of cry- neurons) will die within days of the insult. ble that it can be said that the brain has been oprotective agents and “ice blockers” are There are currently no effective medical inter- put on pause in the literal sense of the word. added. Ice blockers are synthetic variants of ventions or neuroprotective agents that will This allows the patient to be “transported” to naturally occurring anti-freeze proteins used by prevent such damage. As a result, today’s a time when more advanced medical technolo- hibernating animals to protect themselves medicine can restore viability to such patients, gies are available, even if this would require from freezing injury. This vitrification agent is but only by losing some, or most, higher brain hundreds of years. Advocates of human cry- introduced in a so-called “carrier solution” functions. opreservation argue that long-term care at which includes molecules to prevent cell If one believes that the objective of cryogenic temperatures offers a rational alter- swelling, support metabolism, maintain physio- medical care is not just to preserve life in the native to the current practice of burial and cre- logical pH, and prevent oxidative damage. The sense of integrated biological function, but mation of persons no longer treatable by con- vitrification agent is introduced in a gradual also to preserve the person, then one would temporary medicine. fashion to prevent excessive volume changes in agree that such patients might be better cells. During the final stages of cryoprotectant served by interventions that place them under Vitrification perfusion the temperature is dropped below long-term care in the form of cryonics. Contrary to popular views of cryonics, zero to protect the cells from toxicity that is Although there is no guarantee that such cryonics is not about preserving dead people caused by high concentrations of the vitrifica- patients will be restored to full functionality in but about long-term care of critically ill patients. tion agent at higher temperatures. the future, the certainty of higher brain death The objection that cryonics is an attempt to The current generation of vitrification is an alternative that many people would pre- resuscitate dead people reflects a misunder- agents can preserve the fine details (ultrastruc- fer to avoid.

www.alcor.org Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 17 Conclusion Human cryopreservation does not involve the freezing of dead people. Cryonics involves placing critically ill patients that cannot be treated with contemporary medical technologies in a state of long-term care using low temperature biostasis in an attempt to preserve the person until a time when future treatments might be available. Philosophically similar to such common medical practices as general anesthesia and hypothermic circulatory arrest, cryonics does not require a fundamental paradigm shift in how conventional medicine thinks about biology, physiology, and brain function. Although current cryopreservation methods are not reversible, under The First Minutes After “Death” ideal circumstances the fine structure that encodes a person’s personality is likely to be As currently practiced, cryonics procedures can only be started after preserved. Complete proof of reversible vitrification of human beings would be suffi- legal death has been pronounced by a medical professional. To prevent cient, but is not necessary, to gain acceptance brain injury between pronouncement of legal death and long-term care of cryonics as a form of long-term critical care medicine. in liquid nitrogen all major cryonics organizations offer standby services The current alternative is death; or for to ensure that the time of circulatory arrest is minimized. In ideal circum- persons who are at risk of suffering extensive brain injury, loss of personhood. stances the cryonics organization of which the patient is a member will For very old and fragile patients, mean- ingful resuscitation would require reversal of deploy a standby team consisting of cryonics professionals to stabilize the the aging process. Obviously, the objective of patient immediately after pronouncement of legal death. cryonics is not to resuscitate patients in a debilitated and compromised condition, but A mechanical device is used to restart blood circulation and ventilate to rejuvenate the patient. Ongoing research in the patient. Because the objective of this intervention is not to resusci- fields such as biogerontology, nanomedicine, and synthetic biology inspire optimism that tate but to stabilize the patient this is called cardiopulmonar y support. At the such treatment will be available in the future. same time the patient is lifted into a mobile portable ice bath to induce The fortunate thing for cryonics patients is that even if fundamental breakthroughs in hypothermia to slow metabolic rate. A number of medications are also these fields will be the result of long and painstaking research, the cold temperatures given to support blood flow to the central organs, reverse and prevent allow them time – a lot of time. blot clotting, restore physiological pH, prevent edema, and protect the

This article is an abridged version of an intro- brain from ischemic injury. duction to cryonics that was solicited and If the patient is pronounced legally dead at a remote location an addi- published by Pharmaciae Sacrum, the annual publication for pharmacology students at the tional step to this protocol is added and the patient’s blood is washed out University of Groningen, the Netherlands. and replaced with an organ preservation solution to preserve viability of the tissue during transport at low temperatures. The organ preservation Contact the author : [email protected] solution that is currently used by cryonics organizations is similar to the cold organ preservation solutions that are used in conventional medicine (like Viaspan) to preserve organs for transplantation. At the cryonics organization the patient’s blood (or the organ preservation solution) is replaced with the vitrification agent to prevent ice formation during cooldown to liquid nitrogen temperatures for long-term care.

18 Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 www.alcor.org Uniform Anatomical Gift Act

Protecting Alcor’s Interests Arizona lawmakers recently modified the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act. How has this affected Alcor, which accepts anatomical donations under that law? By Barry M. Aarons

hree and one half years ago the Alcor One of the interesting aspects regarding Tmembership learned the importance of any changes in the UAGA is the large number remaining current and participating in the of organizations that hold a stake in the issue. political process of our home state of Arizona. When Senator Allen convened a stakeholder Without rehashing the issues that confronted group to review the provisions of the pro- us in 2004 suffice it to say that legislation intro- posed bill, literally dozens of lobbyists and duced in that year could have had a devastating attorneys were present. affect on our ability to fulfill our mission. Mainly, their interest was to retain the Part of the debate in that year centered on ability to receive anatomical gifts, but the give- Alcor’s ability to accept patients under the Uni- and-take, as well as the jousting among the form Anatomical Gift Act (UAGA). Under a interests, was too significant. Organ donor California judicial decree Alcor received per- organizations differ mightily on this issue. But mission to accept anatomical gifts under the while they all have issues with each other, they UAGA. Because one state (California) author- were ambivalent at worst, and for the most ized Alcor to receive anatomical gifts the then part supportive, of Alcor’s concerns. existing UAGA applied in Arizona. When the original bill was introduced, it For many years Jim Bush, a prominent was clearly flawed from Alcor’s perspective Phoenix attorney and member of the Uni- and position. The clear statement of unifor- form Laws Commission, has been pushing mity was missing. The provision allowing a for revision of the UAGA to conform to the procurement organization to accept dona- changes adopted by the Commission. In 2007, tions if authorized to do so by the laws of any Arizona Senate Health Committee Chair Car- other state, was not initially included. olyn Allen agreed to run that legislation. Following the original stakeholder meet- From early on in the deliberations we ings there were significant amendments devel- were deeply involved in the discussions and oped which made improvements in the lan- negotiations. We knew that the ability of guage of the original bill. Unfortunately, the Alcor to continue to accept its patients in Ari- language was not yet crystal clear. zona was critically dependant on the clarity of In conversations with Senator Allen, it was the UAGA. Therefore, we inserted ourselves obvious that she was not going to allow legisla- into the process early on. tion that would damage Alcor’s ability to contin-

www.alcor.org Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 19 ue operating in Arizona. She directed us to visit As we have articulated in the past the leg- with Jim Bush and work out the language that islative process is a marathon, not a sprint. It would rectify the error in the original draft. is important that we continue to be interested, At the same time, others in the Legisla- observant and involved. Down at the Legisla- ture that have become Alcor supporters over ture, absence does not make the heart grow the past few years were on alert to make sure fonder. Down there, clearly out of sight is out that corrective action was taken before the bill of mind. When it comes to cryonics in Ari- could be enacted into law. Had difficulties zona, Alcor is committed to keeping the Leg- occurred, there were plenty of stops in the islature mindful of its best interests. process where we could recommend changes. Barry M. Aarons It turned out that a simple, one word lan- Contact the author: guage change, was all that was needed to rec- [email protected] Barry M. Aarons is the owner of The tify the problem. Jim Bush agreed with the Aarons Company, a public policy con- change and in fact the change was so simple sulting firm. Aarons has over 30 years that it was made as a verbal amendment in the experience in policy development, pub- Senate Health Committee. But it is important lic affairs implementation and lobbying to note that, simple or not, had the deficiency in state legislatures and the U.S. Con- not been noticed and changed during the gress. He has represented the Alcor process our rights under the UAGA may well Foundation since 2004. have been jeopardized.

The new Arizona Anatomical Gift Act is clear and protects Alcor’s interests.

The definitions section defines a procurement organization as:

“A storage facility that is licensed, accredited or approved under federal law or the laws of any state to engage in the recovery, screening, testing, processing, storage or distribution of human bodies or parts.”

Another governing section defining persons who may receive anatomical gifts says:

“An anatomical gift may be made to…a hospital, accredited medical school, dental school, college, university, procurement organization or any other appropriate person, for research or education.”

When taken together these two statutory declarations absolutely maintain the authority Alcor currently enjoys under the UAGA. An additional protective part of the new law that is generally part of all uniform laws says:

“In applying and construing this article, consideration must be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it.”

Read the revised Arizona UAGA in full: http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/48leg/1r/bills/sb1099c.pdf

20 Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 www.alcor.org Tech News R. Michael Perry, Ph.D.

and death itself. Cells cut off from their blood approach to quantum information systems,” supply die hours later. So why can’t doctors says Mikhail D. Lukin, professor of physics in revive someone who has been dead for only Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences. one hour? Because once the cells have been without oxygen for more than five minutes, ScienceDaily they die when their oxygen supply is resumed. 6/1/07 This is known as reperfusion injury. It was http://www.sciencedaily.com/ that “astounding” discovery, says Dr. Lance releases/2007/05/070531142118.htm Becker, an authority on emergency medicine, that led him to his post as the director of the University of Pennsylvania’s newly created Nanotech Guru Center for Resuscitation Science. The Center Turns Back on “Goo” researches one of medicine’s newest frontiers: The scientist many regard as the father of treating the dead. A study at four hospitals, nanotechnology, an umbrella discipline con- published last year by the University of Cali- cerned with engineering objects and working fornia, showed a remarkable rate of success in devices from individual atoms and molecules, treating sudden cardiac arrest with an has backed away from his famous claim that approach that involved, among other things, a nanomachines could turn the planet into “cardioplegic” blood infusion to keep the “grey goo.” Dr. Eric Drexler now says heart in a state of suspended animation. nanomachines that self-replicate exponential- Becker also endorses hypothermia—lowering ly are unlikely ever to enter widespread use. In body temperature from 37 to 33 degrees Cel- the journal Nanotechnology, he stresses that tiny sius—which appears to slow the deleterious machines would need close control in order to chemical reactions touched off by reperfusion Studies have shown that severe calorie be efficient. Dr Drexler says when he made with oxygen. restriction markedly extends lifespan in mice the statement in the 80s, he underestimated and many other species – but the reasons for the impact it would have on the field. “What this have remained elusive. Could a gene be MSNBC/Newsweek I did not expect was that efforts to quiet con- behind this unusual effect? 5/7/07 cerns over grey goo would lead to false scien- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/ tific denials of feasible technologies.” Gene Clue to Longevity 18368186/site/newsweek?GT1=9951 Uncovered BBC News The mystery of how eating less boosts 6/9/07 longevity is closer to being solved. US Diamond Offers Stable Quantum http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/ research on nematode worms (Caenorhabditis Computing Building Block tech/3788673.stm elegans) published in Nature, has uncovered a Surmounting several distinct hurdles to quan- gene, pha-4, that is linked to this unusual tum computing, physicists at Harvard Univer- effect. The scientists say mammals have a sity have found that individual carbon-13 Pill to End Monthly Periods gene similar to pha-4. The find could lead to atoms in a diamond lattice can be manipulat- Approved drugs that mimic the consequences of calorie ed with extraordinary precision to create sta- Lybrel, a birth-control pill that does away with restriction but negate the need for severe fast- ble quantum mechanical memory and a small a woman’s monthly period, was approved May ing regimes. Andrew Dillin is an author of the quantum processor, also known as a quantum 22 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. paper and an associate professor at the Salk register, operating at room temperature. The The estrogen-progestin hormonal pill differs Institute for Biological Studies. finding brings the futuristic technology of from traditional birth-control pills in that it quantum information systems into the realm does not include the “week off ” of placebo BBC News of solid-state materials under ordinary condi- pills that leads to a cessation of artificial hor- 5/2/07 tions. The results, described this week in Sci- mones and onset of menstruation. Lybrel is http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/ ence, could revolutionize scientists’ approach described as “continual contraception” but it tech/6612411.stm to quantum computing, which is built on the “works the same way as the 21-days on, profound eccentricity of quantum mechanics seven-days off [pill] cycle—it stops the body’s and could someday far outperform conven- monthly preparation for pregnancy by lower- To Treat the Dead tional supercomputers in solving certain ing the production of hormones that make problems. “These experiments lay the The new science of resuscitation is changing pregnancy possible,” explained Dr. Daniel groundwork for development of a new the way doctors think about heart attacks— Shames, deputy director of the FDA’s Office

www.alcor.org Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 21 of Drug Evaluation III at the Center for that we are producing far more carbon diox- found in red wine called resveratrol can pro- Drug Evaluation and Research. ide from fossil fuels than we ought to be. And tect against neuron degeneration in a mouse it’s going to lead to trouble unless we can model of Alzheimer’s disease and amyotroph- Health.ivillage.com begin to reduce the amount of fossil fuels we ic lateral sclerosis. The researchers demon- 5/22/07 are burning and using in our economies.” strated that activating SIRT1 and injecting http://health.ivillage.com/gyno/gynonews/ resveratrol, which have both been previously 0,,wbnews_bmz3b2sf,00.html BBC News associated with life-span extension in lower 9/14/07 organisms, can also prevent cognitive prob- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/ lems in the mice. “Thus, resveratrol is not only Cooling May Have Helped Save sci/tech/6994760.stm neuroprotective, it also improves cognitive NFL Player’s Spine function after severe neurodegeneration,” says When paramedics wheeled Buffalo Bills tight Li-Huei Tsai, the professor of neuroscience at end Kevin Everett into Buffalo’s Millard Fill- MIT who led the research with David Sinclair, more Hospital September 9, a life-threatening a professor of pathology at Harvard. spine injury had rendered him functionally quadriplegic and potentially paralyzed for life. MIT Technology Review But an experimental treatment may have dras- 7/23/07 tically improved his chances of walking again, http://www.technologyreview.com/ according to some doctors. The treatment, Biotech/19080/ which involves an infusion of ice-cold saline, nudges the body into a state of hypothermia—a step aimed at limiting the cascade of Universal Flu Vaccine Being events in the body that can lead to further Tested on Humans spinal cord damage after an injury. Dr. Kevin A universal influenza vaccine that has been Gibbons, one of the neurosurgeons at Millard pioneered by researchers from VIB and Fillmore Hospital who operated on Everett, Ghent University (Belgium) is being tested for said that his team had decided to go forward the first time on humans by the British-Amer- with the cooling after Everett’s body temper- ican biotech company Acambis. This vaccine ature rose dramatically after his injury. is intended to provide protection against all ‘A’ “Although we are not sure that cold tempera- strains of the virus that cause human influen- ture is good, we know high temperature is bad za, including pandemic strains. Influenza is an in a neurological injury,” Gibbons said. But acute infection of the bronchial tubes and is the procedure may have done more than sim- caused by the influenza virus. Flu is probably ply cool Everett down; it may also have one of the most underestimated diseases: it is helped limit the damage caused by the injury. Resveratrol is shown to protect against neuron highly contagious and causes people to feel degeneration in animal experiments. It is deathly ill. An average of 5% of the world’s ABC News found in grapes, wine, grape juice, peanuts, population is annually infected with this virus. 9/12/07 and berries. In grapes, resveratrol is found This leads to 3 to 5 million hospitalizations http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ only in the skins. The amount of resveratrol in and 250,000 to 500,000 deaths per year, with story?id=3592871&page=1 grape skins varies with the grape cultivar, its totals much higher should a pandemic devel- geographic origin, and exposure to fungal infection. The amount of fermentation time a wine op. Today’s flu vaccines need to be adapted spends in contact with grape skins is an impor- every year and, consequently, they must also tant determinant of its resveratrol content. be administered again every year. A universal Bush Aide Says flu vaccine that provides broad and lifelong Warming Man-Made Source: http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/ protection—like the vaccines for polio, hepa- Professor John Marburger, who advises Pres- phytochemicals/resveratrol/ titis B or measles—is not yet available. How- ident Bush, said it is more than 90% certain ever, in the 1990s, VIB researchers connected that greenhouse gas emissions from mankind to Ghent University, under the direction of are to blame for global warming. The earth Saving Memories Prof. Emeritus Walter Fiers, invented a uni- may become “unlivable” without cuts in car- Physicians can treat the symptoms of versal flu vaccine. After further development, bon dioxide output, he said, but he labeled Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenera- phase I clinical trials of the vaccine are now targets for curbing temperature rise as “arbi- tive disorders, but there is no way to prevent underway. trary.” His comments come shortly before or reverse the underlying degeneration and major meetings on climate change at the UN death of neurons that characterize these dis- Intern Daily and the White House. Despite disagreement eases. Now research by scientists at Harvard 7/18/07 on the details of climate science, he said: “I and MIT suggests a potential new therapeutic http://www.interndaily.com/reports/ think there is widespread agreement on cer- approach. The scientists have shown that a Universal_Flu_Vaccine_Being_Tested_ tain basics, and one of the most important is gene called SIRT1 and a plant compound On_Humans_999.html

22 Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 www.alcor.org of the body, while lowering the insulin sig- in this condition for years, the researchers naling only in the brain through genetic say. Patients in a minimally conscious state, manipulation. often the result of severe brain trauma, show only intermittent evidence of aware- Intern Daily ness of the world around them. Typically, 7/20/07 they are assumed to have little chance of http://www.interndaily.com/reports/ further recovery if they show no improve- Insulin_Signaling_Possible_Key_To_ ment during their initial 12-month rehabili- Extended_Longevity_999.html tation program. In the latest case study, Nicholas Schiff of Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, and his colleagues Memory Seen in the Making describe how they implanted electrodes in The physical changes that occur when the the brain of a 38-year-old man who had brain makes a new memory have been been in a minimally conscious state for observed for the first time, say researchers, more than six years following a serious who hope to go on to map the distribution assault. By electrically stimulating a brain of memory across brain regions. Gary region called the central thalamus, they Lynch of the University of California, were able to help him name objects on Irvine, and his colleagues examined the request, make precise hand gestures, and junctions between neurons—synapses—in chew food without the aid of a feeding three dimensions using a technique called tube. restorative deconvolution microscopy [email protected] Some people who live past 100 may have (RDM). In previous work the group devel- 8/1/07 a natural genetic tendency for lower insulin oped a fluorescent marker that attaches to signaling in the brain. synapses in the brain that have recently http://www.nature.com/news/2007/ undergone a certain type of neuron-to- 070730/full/448522a.html neuron connection believed to be responsi- ble for encoding memory, called long-term Contact the author : Insulin Signaling Possible potentiation (LTP). In the current study the [email protected] Key to Extended Longevity team exposed live rats to a novel environ- New research shows it may be possible to ment and allowed them to learn its layout. one day take a life-extending pill that mim- They then removed the animals’ brains to ics the healthy effects of exercise and a examine the hippocampus—a region low-calorie diet by lowering insulin signal- involved in memory—using RDM to ing in the brain. The key to a longer life is observe individual synapses. A second lower insulin levels, said Morris White, a group of rats was shown the new environ- pediatrician and endocrinologist at Howard ment but not allowed to explore it before Hughes Medical Institute. Less insulin their brains were examined. A third group helps cells fend off diseases that lead to an was allowed to learn the same new environ- early death, like cancer, said White, whose ment but given a drug to block LTP. Only study appears in the July 19 Science. “With rats that had undergone learning and mem- calorie restriction and exercise, cancer, dia- ory acquisition without blockage of LTP betes, cardiac disease and others all get showed new synaptic growth. postponed. It still happens, but at a later age. It’s thought to be at least partly Nature.com involved in the longer life span,” White 7/25/07 told United Press International. Insulin is http://intl.emboj.org/nature/journal/ the substance made by the pancreas that v448/n7152/full/448397a.html allows cells to metabolize glucose. But recent research shows that too much insulin is far from helpful and instead Implant Boosts Activity in makes cells vulnerable to diseases that may shorten life, like cancer, artery disease, Injured Brain Brain function has been improved in a Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. While patient who was in a minimally conscious lowering insulin throughout the body can state, by electrically stimulating a specific lead to a diabetic state, scientists found that brain region with implanted electrodes. The the life of mice was extended by allowing achievement raises questions about the insulin levels to be high throughout most treatment of other patients who have been

www.alcor.org Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 23 When I tell people that I have signed up for cryopreservation, the first question I am usually asked is, "Why?" I wrote this poem to explain to family and friends the reasons that shaped my decision to join Alcor.

Beth Bailey, Alcor member since 2004

We were young and felt immortal. Though, time still had its way. Years hurried past without warning to leave only memories of sweeter days.

There should be angry indignation because everything we are just fades away. Is it inevitable that people age and die, or can we repair the havoc nature plays?

Modern medicine, as we know it, routinely saves lives once given up for dead. Marvelous discoveries we take for granted help us avoid our ancestors’ fate.

What if we could strike a bargain to somehow keep death at bay? Cryonics offers the possibility that we might one day see this world again.

Some say freezing the body is too radical, or the concept seems unsound. Yet, the world of tomorrow may hold scientific wonders; amazing inventions we can only dream about.

Our date with death remains arbitrary, when the doctor tells us she can do no more. That end point will keep changing as technology and science evolve.

So, don’t bury my body to rot in the ground. Don’t scatter my ashes in the wind. I will gladly risk the unknown of a “frozen future” for one chance to be with you again. CRYONICS Poem © 2006 by Beth Bailey

Contact the author : [email protected]

24 Cryonics/Fourth Quarter 2007 www.alcor.org What is Cryonics?CRYONICS ryonics is an attempt to preserve and protect the gift of human life, not reverse death. It is the spec- Culative practice of using extreme cold to preserve the life of a person who can no longer be supported by today’s medicine. Will future medicine, including mature nanotechnology, have the ability to heal at the cellular and molecular levels? Can cryonics successfully carry the cryopreserved person forward through time, for however many decades or centuries might be necessary, until the cryopreservation process can be reversed and the person restored to full health? While cryonics may sound like science fiction, there is a basis for it in real science. The complete scientific story of cryonics is seldom told in media reports, leaving cryonics widely misunderstood. We invite you to reach your own conclusions. How doF I findIND out OUTmore? MORE he Alcor Life Extension Foundation is the world leader in cryonics research and technology. Alcor Tis a non-profit organization located in Scottsdale, Arizona, founded in 1972. Our website is one of the best sources of detailed introductory information about Alcor and cryopreservation (www.alcor.org). We also invite you to request our FREE information package on the “Free Information” section of our website. It includes:

• A 30-minute DVD documentary “The Limitless Future” • A fully illustrated color brochure • A sample of our magazine • An application for membership and brochure explaining how to join • And more!

Your free package should arrive in 1-2 weeks. (The complete package will be sent free in the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom.) How doEN I enroll?ROLL Signing up for a cryopreservation is easy! Step 1: Fill out an application and submit it with your $150 application fee. Step 2: You will then be sent a set of contracts to review and sign. Step 3: Fund your cryopreservation. While most people use life insurance to fund their cryopreservation, other forms of prepayment are also accepted. Alcor’s Membership Coordinator can provide you with a list of insurance agents familiar with satisfying Alcor’s current funding requirements. Finally: After enrolling, you will wear emergency alert tags or carry a special card in your wallet. This is your confirmation that Alcor will respond immediately to an emergency call on your behalf.

Call toll-free today to start your application: 877-462-5267 ext. 132 [email protected] www.alcor.org

The Limitless Future Get your FREE copy of Alcor’s 30-minute DVD documentary by visiting the “Free Information” section of our website