A Non-Profit Organization

NovemberJanuar y2015 2015 • •Volume Volume 36:11 36:1

Preserving Minds, Savings Lives Book Released at the 2015 Alcor Conference Page 6

The Technology of Repair, Revival, and Rejuvenation Part II Page 10 ISSN 1054-4305 Lawsuit Launched Against Anti- Cryonics Law in British Columbia $9.95 Page 17 Improve Your Odds of a Good Cryopreservation You have your cryonics funding and contracts in place but have you considered other steps you can take to prevent problems down the road? ü Keep Alcor up-to-date about personal and medical changes. ü Update your Alcor paperwork to reflect your current wishes. ü Execute a cryonics-friendly Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care. ü Wear your bracelet and talk to your friends and family about your desire to be cryopreserved. ü Ask your relatives to sign Affidavits stating that they will not interfere with your cryopreservation. ü Attend local cryonics meetings or start a local group yourself. ü Contribute to Alcor’s operations and research.

Contact Alcor (1-877-462-5267) and let us know how we can assist you. Visit the ALCOR FORUMS www.alcor.org/forums/ Discuss Alcor and cryonics topics with other members and Alcor officials. • The Alcor Foundation • Financial • Cell Repair Technologies • Rejuvenation • Cryobiology • Stabilization • Events and Meetings Other features include pseudonyms (pending verification of membership status) and a private forum. Visit the ALCOR BLOG www.alcor.org/blog/ Your source for news about: • Cryonics technology • Speaking events and meetings • Cryopreservation cases • Employment opportunities • Television programs about cryonics Alcor is on Facebook Connect with Alcor members and supporters on our official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/alcor.life.extension.foundation Become a fan and encourage interested friends, family members, and colleagues to support us too. rofit Organization A Non-P

lume 36:11 er 2015 • Vo Novemb

ving Minds, Preser CONTENTS Savings Lives Book Released 10 The Technology of Repair, at the 2015 Alcor Revival, and Rejuvenation age 6 ConferenceP Part II This ambitious paper reviews some COVER STORY:, PAGE 6 of the proposals that have been made to try to solve the problem echnology of Repair The T Part II age 10 of revival, repair, and rejuvenation, Revival,Preserving and Rejuvenation Minds,P Savings Lives Book Released at the 2015 including using nanotechnology as a part of the effort. Various Alcor ConferencePage 17 Lawsuit Launched Against Anti- cell and tissue repair devices are yonicsAt Lawits in2015 British ColumbiaAlcor conference, ISSN 1054-4305 Cr discussed as well as a cryobiological Alcor released its Preserving view of the subject of repair $9.95 Minds, Savings Lives book, the after exposure to cryogenic most ambitious collection of temperatures. Part two of a three- cryonics articles ever published. part series. Read how you can help put this book in the hands of more 22 Membership Statistics people and institutions. How many members, associate members, and patients does Alcor have and where do they live?

5 QUOD INCEPIMUS CONFICIEMUS 23 Resuscitation Update Cryonics is NOT Mind Uploading Mike Perry surveys the news A recent critical article on the MIT Technology Review website and research to report on new completely missed its target by conflating cryonics and mind uploading. developments that bring us closer This is not the first time critics seek to discredit cryonics by “debunking” to the resuscitation of cryonics an idea that is not a necessary component of cryonics. In this column patients. you can read Alcor’s official response when we were asked to comment on the MIT article.

17 Lawsuit Launched Against Anti-Cryonics Law in British Columbia On July 14, 2015, The Lifespan Society of British Columbia and Keegan Macintosh launched a civil suit against the government of British Columbia with the objective of removing laws that prohibit the offering of cryonics services in the province. Carrie Wong has the latest updates.

www.alcor.org Cryonics / November 2015 3 The James Bedford Society

ifts have played a fundamental role in the cryonics movement since its earliest days. Dr. James Bedford, a Editorial Board man whose extraordinary vision led him to become the Saul Kent G first person to be cryopreserved, and the first to make a bequest to Ralph C. Merkle, Ph.D. a cryonics organization, exemplified the determination of the early R. Michael Perry, Ph.D. pioneers of cryonics. We invite you to follow in his footsteps, and join the James Bedford Society. Editor The James Bedford Society recognizes those who make a Aschwin de Wolf bequest of any size to the Alcor Life Extension Foundation. If you have already provided a gift Contributing Writers for Alcor in your estate, please send a copy of your relevant documents Aschwin de Wolf to Alcor’s Finance Director, Bonnie Magee. R. Michael Perry, Ph.D. If you’d like to learn more about setting up a bequest, send an email York W. Porter to [email protected] or call 480-905-1906 x114 to discuss your gift.  Carrie Wong

Copyright 2015 by Alcor Life Extension Foundation All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or part, without permission is prohibited. 2015 Annual Giving Program lcor provides a wide array of services for you the member, and the general Cryonics magazine is published monthly. public. We inform and educate, we protect and preserve, and we strive to remain at the forefront of cryonics technology. To subscribe to the printed edition A Since its founding, Alcor has relied on member support to maintain its mission and/or change your address, please call and attract new members. Your support, regardless of size, can provide a better 480.905.1906 x101or visit the magazine future for all cryonicists. Please act now. website: www.alcor.org/magazine Suggested Giving Levels

Please note: If you change your address less than $20 Friend a month before the magazine is mailed, it may be sent to your old address. $60 Junior Supporter $120 Sustaining Supporter Address correspondence to: Cryonics Magazine $500 Advocate Supporter 7895 East Acoma Drive, Suite 110 Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 $1,000 Leading Supporter Phone: 480.905.1906 Toll free: 877.462.5267 $2,500 Visionary Supporter Fax: 480.922.9027 $5,000 Silver Supporter

Letters to the Editor welcome: $10,000 Gold Supporter [email protected] $25,000 Titanium Supporter Advertising inquiries: 480.905.1906 x113 $50,000 Vanguard Supporter [email protected] ISSN: 1054-4305 We encourage every member to donate. Even if you can only afford $5 right now, you will make a significant contribution to Alcor’s future. Visit us on the web at www.alcor.org Donations may be made via the Donations button on the Alcor website or by contacting Alcor’s Finance Director, Bonnie Magee, at [email protected]. Your Alcor News Blog donation may be made as a lump sum or divided into easy monthly payments.  http://www.alcor.org/blog/

4 Cryonics / November 2015 www.alcor.org Quod incepimus conficiemus

Photo: Cryo-Care Equipment Corporation at 2340 E. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ. Dr. Bedford’s “home” in 1970 or 1971.

Cryonics is NOT Mind Uploading By Aschwin de Wolf

n September 15, 2015, the MIT patients involves molecular repair of be inferred from the damaged state, Technology Review published an the patient's biological brain (and body). making cryonics arrangements can Oarticle named “The False Science of While we are encouraged by the rise be a rational choice to make. To our Cryonics” that revealed how much ignorance of connectomics, the aim at Alcor is knowledge, there are no rigorous, about cryonics still exists among those that to cryopreserve all the fine details of scientific, studies that demonstrate that should know better (scientists, medical the brain and even secure viability of today's cryonics procedures produce professionals, etc.). First of all, cryonics the brain as well as we can. In fact, in irreversible destruction of identity- is not a “science” but an experimental our stabilization procedures we aim to critical information. medical procedure that is informed by keep the brain viable by contemporary Information about the ultrastructural scientific developments in disciplines such as medical criteria and collect data to effects of the vitrification solutions cryobiology and neuroscience. evaluate the efficacy of our procedures. we use to inhibit ice formation can Semantics aside, a major flaw in the Alcor is a charitable, non-profit, be found here: http://www.alcor.org/ article is that it conflates mind uploading organization and we do not make a Library/html/newtechnology.html” and cryonics. While some of our profit when we place our patients in It is disappointing that scientists and members may favor the possibility of biostasis. Also helpful to understanding professional writers put so little effort into “substrate-independent minds,” in its most the ethics and financial feasibility of understanding what cryonics entails and “conservative” incarnation resuscitation cryonics for persons of ordinary means what the real technological challenges are. will occur through repair of the same is that most people fund cryonics Unfortunately, there is essentially no cost to biological brain (or whole body) that was through an affordable, dedicated, life being factually wrong about cryonics. In fact, preserved. Complicated philosophical insurance policy, making cryonics an when professional cryobiologists comment issues about whether a copy is “you” do accessible personal choice. on cryonics they often make claims about not come into play in this repair scenario at We strongly disagree that without their own field that are factually incorrect, all. So when Alcor was asked by a reporter proof of human suspended animation such as that cryonics produces intracellular to comment on the article, we submitted or flawless ultrastructural preservation freezing, or that ice-free cryopreservation of the following response: it is not ethical to practice cryonics. Our complex organs is not yet possible. The article in the MIT Technology organization challenges the mainstream We may not be able to persuade everyone Review rests on several mistaken definitions of death, and we believe that cryonics is the prudent, conservative assumptions. First of all, cryonics does that perfected cryopreservation is a choice to make, but we might benefit from not require or imply mind uploading. sufficient but not necessary condition giving more thought to how to prevent and While some of our individual members for cryonics to succeed. As long as counter factually erroneous articles such as are interested in this topic, the default we have good reasons to believe that the one in the MIT Technology Review.  resuscitation scenario for cryonics the original state of the brain can

www.alcor.org Cryonics / November 2015 5 Preserving Minds, Savings Lives Book Released at the 2015 Alcor Conference

By Aschwin de Wolf

n October 11, Alcor officially to their local library. We also encourage presented its new book at the members and professional writers to OAlcor 2015 conference. Preserving promote the book in other publications or Minds, Saving Lives: The Best Cryonics Writings on the internet. of the Alcor Life Extension Foundation, edited To facilitate wide distribution of the by Aschwin de Wolf and Stephen Bridge, book Alcor has created a dedicated website is a collection of the best writings from (http://www.alcor.org/book) where Cryonics magazine and the Alcor website people can order copies or purchase a copy written over the last 40 years. The aim of for someone else. Alcor also offers bulk this book is not just to present a selection rates for members who want to purchase of our finest articles, but to serve as an multiple copies of the book. An expanded introduction to the field of cryonics, and Alcor information package that includes the Alcor organization in particular. As the book will be made available to the such, the book is organized so the reader general public for those who prefer a more can understand the arguments in favor in-depth introduction to cryonics and of cryonics, read about its history, learn Alcor. about the key scientific and technological The softcover edition of Preserving Minds, breakthroughs that inform today's cryonics Savings Lives costs $20.00. The hardcover procedures, and examine technical edition costs $35.00. An electronic edition proposals for the repair, resuscitation and of the book will be published in 2016.  rejuvenation of cryopreserved patients. As the only comprehensive work about cryonics on the market today, our goal is How to promote the Alcor book to get this book into the hands of as many • Order a copy for a friend or colleague people and institutions as possible. For • Purchase the expanded Alcor infopack for a potential member starters, we hope that all Alcor members purchase a copy to further deepen their • Donate a copy to your local library knowledge of cryonics and become more • Promote or review the book online knowledgeable and engaged members. We • Promote and distribute the book at public events also hope that our members will purchase • Cite the book in publications and articles copies for friends and/or donate a copy 6 Cryonics / November 2015 www.alcor.org Enjoy the Health Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet

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“Cryonics magazine introduced me to Alcor and cryonics at its best back in 1983. The visions and technological breakthroughs that you will read about in this book continue to shape Alcor’s mission to preserve life through science.” – Max More, Ph.D. President and CEO of Alcor

ryonics is an experimental medical procedure that Cuses ultra-low temperatures to put critically ill people into a state of metabolic arrest to give them access to medical advances of the future. Since its inception in the early 1960s, the practice of cryonics has moved from a theoretical concept to an evidence-based practice that uses emergency medical procedures and modern vitrification technologies to eliminate ice formation.

Preserving Minds, Saving Lives offers an ambitious collection of articles about cryonics and the Alcor Life Extension Foundation. From its humble beginnings in 1972, and its first human cryonics patient in 1976, Alcor has grown to a professional organization with more than 1,000 members, more than 140 human patients, and more than 50 pets, all awaiting a chance to restore them to good health and continue their lives.

This book presents some of the best cryonics writings from Cryonics magazine from 1981 to 2012. There are clear expositions of the rationale behind cryonics, its scientific validation, and the evolution of Alcor procedures. Also covered are repair and resuscitation scenarios, philosophical issues associated with cryonics, and debates within the cryonics community itself.

Soft Cover Edition: $20 – Hard Cover Edition: $35 To order your copy, go to: www.alcor.org/book or call 1-877-GO ALCOR (462-5267) Table of Contents Foreword: Cryonics and Hope • Introduction

WHAT IS CRYONICS? Why We Are Cryonicists • Cryonics: Using Low Temperatures to Care for the Critically Ill • Medical Time Travel • The Bricks in the Wall HISTORY OF CRYONICS John Hunter, Cryonics Forerunner • The Society for the Recovery of Persons Apparently Dead • Riding the Jameson Satellite • The First Cryonicist • Robert Ettinger: Some Brief Historical and Personal Notes • Notes on the First Human Freezing • The Realities of Patient Storage • Suspension Failures: Lessons from the Early Years • Dear Dr. Bedford • Robert Nelson and the Bedford Freezing: A Comment • Cold War: The Conflict Between Cryonicists and Cryobiologists HISTORY OF ALCOR A Brief History of Alcor • Where did the name Alcor come from? • New Home, New Life: Alcor Moves to Arizona • The Alcor Patient Care Trust RESEARCH IN CRYONICS Evaluation of the Condition of Dr. James H. Bedford after 24 Years of Cryonic Suspension • A Brief History of Alcor Research • The 21st Century Medicine Seminar: Amazing Breakthroughs in Cryobiology and Resuscitation Systems for Intermediate Temperature Storage for Fracture Reduction and Avoidance ALCOR PROCEDURES AND TECHNOLOGIES How Cold is Cold Enough? • History of DMSO and Glycerol in Cryonics • Mathematical Analysis of Recirculating Perfusion Systems, with Application to Cryonic Suspension • Getting to 8M Glycerol and Other Perfusion Problems • How Cryoprotectants Work • Vitrification Arrives: New Technology Preserves Patients without Ice Damage • New Cryopreservation Technology • Cooling Down • Elements of a Transport • Cardiopulmonary Support in Cryonics: The Significance of Legal Death in Cryonics • Rapid Stabilization in Human Cryopreservation • Securing Viability of the Brain at Alcor • Case Reports in Cryonics RESCUSCITATION OF CRYONICS PATIENTS To Wake Refreshed • The Anabolocyte: A Biological Approach to Repairing Cryoinjury • Cell Repair Technology • Realistic Scenario for Nanotechnological Repair of the Frozen Human Brain • A Cryopreservation Revival Scenario Using MNT • Neural Archaeology • Cryonics, Cryptography, and Maximum Likelihood Estimation • Information Storage and Computational Aspects of Repair PERSPECTIVES ON CRYONICS A Message for Terminal Patients • The Death of Death in Cryonics • Why Suspension Members Need More Than Minimum Funding • Conservative Medicine • Binary Statutes, Analog World: Burke’s Paradox and the Law • Why a Religious Person Can Choose Cryonics • Cryonics and Emergency Medicine • Ethics of Non-ideal Cryonics Cases • Let’s Talk About Cryonics • How to Protect Your Cryonics Arrangements from Interference by Third Parties DEBATES WITHIN CRYONICS But What Will the Neighbors Think? A Discourse on the History and Rationale of Neurosuspension • The Neurocryopreservation Option: Head First Into the Future • The Case for Whole Body Cryopreservation • Responsibility, Probability, and Durability • The “I” Word • The Road Less Traveled: Alternatives to Cryonics • The Myth of the Golden Scalpel • Has Cryonics Taken the Wrong Path?

Afterword • Biographies of Contributors

“Society’s failure to take cryonics seriously is a tragedy “Alcor appears to be the leading organization that is probably costing countless lives. Alcor, notably in the application of cryonics in medicine. via its magazine, is leading the fight to change that.” I’m proud to be a part of this effort.” – Aubrey de Grey, Ph.D. – Michael D. West, Ph.D. Biomedical Gerontologist and Chief Science Officer Stem Cell Scientist and Chief Executive of the SENS Research Foundation Officer of BioTime, Inc.

www.alcor.org Cryonics / October 2015 9 The Technology of Repair, Revival, and Rejuvenation Part Ii

By York W. Porter

Greg Fahy’s Paper: A duty to seek the truth even if (and address what is important but also bypass, “Realistic” Scenario for perhaps especially if) the truth may as far as possible, what is not. “Detail” Nanotechnological Repair of be unpopular.50 must be sufficient to determine how the the Frozen Human Brain In another paper, “A Scientific Critique important tasks will be handled. We don’t Gregory Fahy, a well-known and respected of ‘Molecular Repair of the Brain’”(Alcor want be in the predicament of the two experimental cryobiologist, received his website51) Fahy expresses disagreement problem-solving scientists in the cartoon undergraduate degree in Biology from the with some of Merkle’s thoughts on solving who are bent over a blackboard filled with University of California, Irvine, and his this central problem in cryonics, to which mathematical equations and one says to Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the Medical Merkle replies in depth. Both Fahy’s the other, “then a miracle occurs!” Finally, College of Georgia in Augusta. With over critique as well as his own thoughts are too proposed approaches must be testable, to thirty years’ experience in cryopreservation, lengthy and technical to treat in depth here, distinguish what works from what doesn’t, he has a rich background in his field and is but I will summarize. something of central importance in all certainly worth taking seriously. Fahy’s focus throughout is on “realistic” science and technology. Fahy, in Cryonics: Reaching for Tomorrow49 repair scenarios which he defines as After establishing the four criteria and (CRFT, Alcor Foundation, 1991, 1993), “scenarios that might actually be applied, some “ground rules” to exclude “extraneous has a cryonics-friendly article entitled “A with appropriate modifications, to the problems” (postmortem damage, transport ‘Realistic’ Scenario for Nanotechnological restoration of the brains in cryonic injury, and so on), Fahy addresses specific Repair of the Frozen Human Brain” suspension.”52 He means to distinguish problems encountered in low-temperature (listed as “Appendix B” in the table of his approach from “general proofs of biological work, such as perfusion damage, contents). Cryonics is controversial in principle…that attempt to demonstrate freezing damage, osmotically-induced cryobiology, and Fahy accordingly supplied general feasibility without considering cellular shrinkage, and phase transitions. this disclaimer (just before the table of documented biological problems in Sometimes the problem is minor; otherwise, contents, 1993 edition.): detail.”53 This implied challenge to the it is considered at length, as in the section I am not a promoter or advocate Merkle scenario is underscored by noting on constraints on repair. Details provided of either cryonics in general or that “[n]o ‘realistic’ repair scenarios have include micrograph images and extensive Alcor in particular. I have permitted previously been proposed to the knowledge references. (The technical and detail level Alcor to use “Appendix B” because of the author.”54 here will be a challenge to some, but this is I feel that elevating the level of Fahy then goes on to establish four important thinking.) discussion between cryonicists and criteria he believes are essential in dealing In his “Scientific Critique,” Fahy speaks cryobiologists would be beneficial with repair scenarios: (1) factual basis, (2) of specific concerns he has about Merkle’s to both groups. Appendix B was parsimony, (3) detail, and (4) testability. viewpoint. There might not be enough written primarily out of intellectual As for “factual basis,” one must base “activation energy” at the low temperature curiosity in response to Dr. Ralph repair concepts on what is “known or to cause a needed chemical reaction. Repairs Merkle’s paper “The Molecular can be inferred” about the actual injury might not hold up as the temperature Repair of the Brain.” It represents that occurs in brains that have been is increased. (For example, repaired my personal attempt to decide for subjected to cryogenic temperatures. (“renatured”) proteins might denature myself whether a reasonable repair Such knowledge would come from once again.) Tissue could be damaged on scenario can be delineated. This is experimental work. “Parsimony” means warming by thermal stresses. What would simply one means of trying to find to avoid making unnecessary demands be the power source of repair devices at the truth. As a scientist, it is my of the repair task. One must certainly ultra-low temperatures and how would that

10 Cryonics / November 2015 www.alcor.org power input affect the tissues themselves? structures are; they can then be • Synthesizing the structure in a If you tried to address the repair problem “repaired” electronically and thus dehydrated state. mainly electronically, using images of the eliminated from the database. • Synthesizing in a normal “wet state” damaged tissue to work out what ought 3. The “revised” database can then be but stabilizing major macromolecules to be there, would the processing time be used to help reconstruct the original by cross linkages and the like. prohibitive? “undamaged” brain. As for repair of cracks in tissue subjected • Synthesizing in a normal “wet state” but with: to ultra-low temperatures: Merkle points out that Fahy is basically Merkle says, on page 37, “if – minimal stabilization aimed mainly erroneous when he says in his critique: at the membranes any cracks are present in the initial “Merkle’s paper does not seek to tell us how database (describing the frozen – prevention of entry of oxygen/ to repair a frozen brain. It seeks only to other reactive chemicals tissue) then the revised database describe peripheral issues of information (describing the healthy tissue) – allowing “harmless” diffusion to content, computational speed, etc.” Merkle take place should be altered to remove these responds: cracks.” But “removing these Dr. Fahy’s statement that these • Synthesizing the brain using “the cracks” is a non-trivial exercise, issues are “peripheral” is wrong, for same intermediate states that are used and we are told nothing about how they are quite central. The claim that during normal growth.” this might be possible. In the end, computer power of the magnitude we are left only with an apparently required will likely be available in the (This last strategy aimed at working on a unsupportable assertion that it future is not immediately obvious. human brain in a “non-dynamic” or at least should be possible. And this is the If we expect people to believe this “reduced dynamic” state would, according problem that cryobiologists have to Merkle, be achievable by placing an 55 claim, it must be supported by a had with cryonics all along. careful analysis of the relevant “on-board computer” in control of cell Fahy winds up his critique on a facts.57 metabolic activities, including cell division, cautionary note: Merkle concludes that a simple “divide cell shape, and cell movement.) Ralph Merkle has written an and conquer” approach, in which the excellent paper which attempts to human brain is “divided into pieces Merkle then deals with the “tradeoffs” identify important issues of the small enough that they can be directly of each approach, reiterates that computer repair of frozen brains. He deserves analyzed…” should be sufficient. analysis is fundamental, talks about praise for his great intellectual effort In response to Fahy’s position that chemistry at low temperatures (“Chemistry 59 and for many of his results. From Merkle’s proposal isn’t “specific” enough, can be done at 0 Kelvin” ), discusses power the point of view of a cryobiologist, Merkle writes: sources for the repair method he proposes, however, Merkle’s analysis falls far The paper did not discuss in and further considers time requirements short of being convincing. It is any detail how “nanotechnology” for his original proposal. In summary: based on a number of assumptions works, but simply provided some “Both by minimizing freezing damage that have dubious validity, and general reasons for believing it is and maximizing repair capabilities we will it fails to be specific. While the plausible and references for further achieve the highest possible probability of 60 present critique by no means rules reading. A detailed discussion of success.” out the possibility of developing nanotechnology would require Whichever side of this very complicated repair technology for frozen brains, writing a rather detailed technical discussion one finally falls on, the extensive it may help to clarify why the book.58 discussions between Greg Fahy and Ralph disagreements between cryonicists But, Merkle continues: “The final Merkle are, to this author, the same sort of and cryobiologists are not likely to in-depth discussions that occur all the time 56 concern is how to build a structure with be settled by Merkle’s paper. atomic precision, given the blueprint.” in good and proper scientific endeavors. Merkle later talks about six general The constant tug, back and forth, between Ralph Merkle Replies to approaches to repair. The least demanding theoreticians and experimentalists (and Greg Fahy is building an “artificial brain,” using the theoreticians and other theoreticians and As indicated above, Ralph Merkle’s paper digitized information that was gathered experimentalists and other experimentalists) has been under continuing revision since it from the frozen brain. He then discusses is what fosters the progress we have been first appeared in 1989. The latest (and much building an actual human brain. A working blessed with in science and technology. expanded) version can be found on Merkle’s human brain is a “dynamic” structure, Few scientists are strictly experimentalists website. In his response to Fahy’s criticisms, in a constant state of change, so repair or strictly theoreticians, most instead having Merkle indicated that the general approach efforts might well be more difficult. Merkle training on both sides of the scientific proposed in “repair of the brain” is, roughly: proposes some scenarios to provide needed spectrum. Still, good experimentation 1. Digitize the frozen structure. stabilization: affects theoretical viewpoints, which in turn affect the thinking in the next round 2. Once the database has been built, • Synthesizing the structure at low of experiments. The give and take, back use it to determine where damaged temperature. and forth between the two camps results in

www.alcor.org Cryonics / November 2015 11 the best outcome overall and the best and could have in helping the sick and injured, is fantastic, yet still not good enough. People most efficient use of scientific resources. which might well include cryonics patients. get hurt, people sicken, people die. If we As for which of the two talented and A later and more detailed paper of can enhance nature’s arsenal by intelligent dedicated researchers, Merkle or Fahy, is Freitas is about artificial white blood cells design, the prospects seem virtually “right” and which is “wrong,” the answer which he calls microbivores (“microbe- endless. The ability to move molecules and basically is “stay tuned.” Time and further eaters”).62 The microbivore would be atoms at will and arrange them as we think research may well show that, as in Merkle’s able to act as a phagocyte in the case of best, consistent with scientific laws, would remark about the “highest probability infectious disease processes. It is, again, an address any disease entity we can think of, of success,” both camps are progressing example of how nanotechnological devices including aging. toward the same finishing point, just from may ultimately furnish health benefits to A sick patient was likely in a state of somewhat different starting points. mankind beyond present measure and how youthful good health at one time in life—or existing body repair mechanisms might be if not, others could furnish a “pattern” for Robert Freitas, J.D. greatly enhanced by intelligent design. what youthful good health would be. The Robert Freitas has had an interesting and job of medicine, as indicated previously, varied career. His high school education Ralph Merkle’s 1994 Effort is then to place the “sick pattern” of included some college-level chemistry. His To Blend The Technology of the patient’s atoms and molecules in an undergraduate degree was as a “double Cryonics and the Field Of arrangement of youthful good health major” with a bachelor’s in both physics Cryptography using molecular manipulation tools. Those and psychology (1974). He then attended In 1994 Ralph Merkle wrote a paper titled same medical tools can be employed in the University of Santa Clara Law School, “Cryonics, Cryptography, and Maximum cryonics to rearrange the frozen tissue’s receiving his Juris Doctor in 1978. Likelihood Estimation.”63 Eminently atoms and molecules in the way we see fit. Maintaining a wide diversity of interests qualified in cryptography, Merkle uses We’ll no longer be restrained by the crude in his educational career and later, Freitas his expertise to address problems in measures of today. If the molecules are in has written more than 150 papers, chapters cryobiology and cryonics, mainly, how to the “wrong” place, we can move them to of books, and popular articles on a wide fix damaged cells and tissues and thereby, the “right” place, supportive of a youthful range of topics from science to the law. of course, whole organisms. Clearly it’s a state of health. The only necessity will be One of his very interesting proposals, tall order to fill, with several as-yet unsolved to know where the “right” place is. introduced in 1996, was a design for the problems: tissue fracturing, the patient’s The concept of nanotechnology is an so-called “respirocyte,”61 an artificial blood terminal illness or injury, possible ischemic amazing development in human history. cell that would be able to carry oxygen to damage and/or cryoprotectant toxicity, The ultimate promise of it is tremendous the tissues and carbon dioxide away, just or uneven (or absent) cryoprotectant and almost beyond measure in areas from like a regular red blood cell. perfusion in vital areas. “And yet,” he tells energy to healthcare. But it isn’t limitless. It The difference, and a very substantial us, “the literature on freezing injury, on won’t help someone who, say, is vaporized one, is that the respirocyte would be vastly ischemia, and on the other damage likely in a nuclear blast, or more mundanely, more efficient, able to transport 236 times caused by a cryonic suspension forced me cremated without some preservation of more oxygen. In addition, it would be to conclude that cryonics would almost parts. If enough DNA can be found of smaller and able to enter places red blood surely work: how can this be?”64 that person through tissues deposited by cells could not, where circulation might be The explanation is both intriguing and accident (for example, licking the glue of an restricted due to disease or injury. well thought-out. It begins with the fact that, envelope to seal it) or by intent (preserved Some uses of the proposed (still like every other structure in the universe, surgical specimens), then perhaps a clone theoretical!) respirocyte are fairly human beings are made of molecules. As (genetic twin) can be grown. A twin sibling obvious. Patients whose cardiac output in his previous work, Merkle points out isn’t you, however. was insufficient would benefit from the that the arrangement of the molecules is This means that enough structures must greatly enhanced oxygen-carrying capacity. what really counts. Health and sickness, survive for future nanotechnologists to Divers would be able to dive for greatly youth and old age, pain and pleasure, life have some sort of concept of what repairs extended periods of time while avoiding and death, all depend on the arrangement need to be made. Ideally, this would involve decompression sickness (the “bends”) of and, thereby, the interactions between the ability to fully restore memories and as well as “nitrogen narcosis,” decreased the molecules of an individual person. personality structures. The worst case, mental function which can lead to fatal Present day medical procedures, such as just noted, would be where nothing error. In the case of organs and tissues as surgery, try to “rearrange things” in a exists for future scientists to work from. needed for transplantation, respirocytes crude and inefficient way. Healing isn’t Nanotechnology will bring great power but could greatly extend preservation, especially really “done” by present day medicine not omnipotence. For those undergoing at low temperatures. The respirocyte would so much as conditions are provided cryonics procedures, however, the words also be useful for trauma victims, for whom for the body, through its own amazing of Merkle are quite heartening: a major cause of death is bleeding. While “nanotechnology,” to heal itself. Even after many minutes or still a theoretical concept, Freitas’s work The body’s nanotechnological devices hours of ischemia and even after shows both his versatility as a thinker and developed through countless eons by freezing we can still recognize the the great potential nanotech’s future arsenal natural, unthinking processes. This arsenal cells, trace the paths of the axons,

12 Cryonics / November 2015 www.alcor.org note where the synapses connect Remember again that, as was pointed Maybe you see that, in juxtaposing two nerve cell to nerve cell—and this out by Thomas Donaldson, the atoms pieces, the green border of one can’t go with our present rather primitive and molecules comprising the cells and with the brown of the other, and you technology of light and electron tissues under cryopreservation are not abandon that combination and try another microscopy (which is a far cry from totally scrambled. The damage is not like which does work. Eventually, after enough what we will have in the future).65 an explosion, where things are tossed about effort, the picture on the box emerges in all If we can tell where things willy-nilly. (And even for an explosion there its perfection and glory and can be framed should go, then we can in principle is a relationship between where parts wind and put on the wall. (and eventually in practice) restore up and where they started out which can This isn’t to say that the cryptographic the patient to full health with their help in figuring out the state of things approach to cryonics resuscitation would memory and personality intact.66 before the explosion went off.) be invincible and able to deal with any The key question then is when can It is also true that any atom of a person level of damage. Merkle comments: “If one tell “where things should go”? And, in cryopreservation was, generally speaking, there has been so much damage that we are even if this is true for those who get the part of a known biological structure or unable to infer sufficient local structure to best “cryonic suspension” (a two-word system (like the sodium and potassium allow even an incremental improvement in phrase for the procedures associated with atoms that, in their exchange across a our description of the system, then this cryonics), what of those who receive less membrane, form the basis for nerve cell approach will fail…”69 than optimal treatment? When are things action) before the cryonics procedures Contrary to the case of someone who has so hopeless as to warrant no action at all? were applied. So there is structure (and been cremated, there has to be part of the How much damage is too much damage? redundancy) in the human body (and, “jigsaw puzzle” that has survived, to provide This is where Ralph Merkle’s considerable more importantly, the brain), plus our a starting point toward solving things. skills and knowledge in cryptanalysis come knowledge of biological structures is Merkle puts the good news as follows: in. Cryptanalysis deals with unscrambling growing in extent and accuracy with each In the case of the frozen human scrambled messages, trying to make sense passing year. When it’s time to resuscitate brain, there is typically a wealth of of what appears senseless at first sight. In we should have substantial clues as to information about the neuronal the case of the Enigma coding machine where any atom or molecule “should” be. wiring…unless the structures involved used by the Nazis in World War II, the Transforming these clues into a deciphered have quite literally been obliterated. task of cryptographers for the Allies was (restored) structure could be aided by an Or, as experience with erasing to take the Enigma-encrypted messages advanced mathematical technique known top secret media has demonstrated, or “ciphertext” before them and work as “maximum likelihood estimation,” as it’s hard to get rid of information their way “backwards” to the unencrypted Merkle points out. The whole operation, when sophisticated means of data “plain text.” The Germans thought they he also notes, will be empowered by an recovery are employed. And we’ll had an unbreakable coding machine—Alan expected, vast future increase in computer have very sophisticated means of Turing and others on the Allied side proved power. The operation might involve a data recovery available to us in the them wrong. Cryptanalysis carried the day series of steps of generating proposed future.70 and played an important part in the Allied restorations of some particular damaged (As an aside, one should also remember victory. tissue. The result on a given step could that the most important organ in any Likewise, information about someone in be tested in a computer simulation and person is, of course, the brain, which cryopreservation is a (somewhat) scrambled compared with the previous results to see contains the “identity” of the person. version or “ciphertext” of the “message” how “right” it is. As Merkle puts it, Its reconstruction with great fidelity is or “plain text” that existed before they If the result is more reasonable, of paramount concern. In other tissues were cryopreserved. All the changes that we are moving in the right direction such as the heart, the important thing occurred from “before” to “after” result and should continue. If the result is to restore an adequately functioning from known chemistry and physics. One is less reasonable we are moving in replacement, not necessarily an exact copy must try to “decipher” the ciphertext to the wrong direction and should stop of the original. By analogy with today’s obtain the plain text. As Merkle puts it: and try some other direction.68 medicine, it’s okay if a transplanted heart So the question of whether or By way of analogy this can be compared is pumping blood adequately and not not we can revive a person who has with assembling a cardboard jigsaw puzzle. under attack by the immune system, even been frozen can be transformed into At the beginning the maybe thousands if it’s not exactly like the heart that the a new question: can we cryptanalyze of pieces are all scrambled up into patient was born with. The particular the “encrypted message” that is the “ciphertext.” You want to rearrange them structure of the heart or most other frozen person and deduce the “plain into “plain text”—the finished puzzle organs means no more to personal text” which is the healthy person showing the beautiful picture on the box identity than hair color). that we wish to restore? Are the the puzzle came in. Your efforts will “cryptographic transformations” involve knowing what the finished product Mikhail Soloviev’s Papers on applied during freezing sufficient to “should” look like, plus some judgment Repair Scenarios thwart our cryptanalytic skill for all during the assembly process about whether Mikhail Soloviev holds the equivalent of time?67 you are going in the “right” direction. a master’s degree in biophysics from St.

www.alcor.org Cryonics / November 2015 13 Petersburg State University, Russia, and has with surface ablation of each single layer of over the original, with the same “person” worked with the design and development atoms, and a database of atomic positions still happily inside.) The brain, as we have of models for neurocomputers, molecular built up. The brain sections would be noted, would have to be treated more computers, and complex biological systems. rebuilt after determination of a healthy carefully. We hope to recover what should In 1996 he wrote an article titled “SCRAM configuration. Some computer code in the be there, a unique structure that we know Reanimation,”71 followed in 1998 by “A PROLOG language helps illustrate what a was present originally, from the preserved Cell Repair Algorithm.”72 “cell repair program” for a computerized remains we start with. But, Hogg tells us, SCRAM is an acronym derived from repair system would look like. As in there could be a further complication: “Scanning,” “Computer Reconstruction,” Soloviev’s previous effort, it is a serious, Even when there is a unique and “Atomic Manufacturing.” Soloviev’s well thought-out if speculative scenario for structure, the time needed to find it concept resembles Merkle’s proposal for how cryonics might be made to work. by searching through the enormous the repair of a cryopreserved brain, but set of possible structures can mean, is expanded to consider restoring the Tad Hogg: Information in practice, the original structure whole body using what Soloviev calls the Storage and Computational cannot be found.76 “MASM” or Macroscopic Atomic Scanner/ Aspects of Repair This remains true even with much Manufacturer. A main ingredient of the In this article in Cryonics, 3rd Quarter 1996, more powerful computers…with MASM in turn is the “nanosyringe,” a Xerox PARC researcher Dr. Tad Hogg the possible exception of (so far, “device to capture and recognize, or release offers a succinct and accurate definition: hypothetical) quantum computers.77 and connect, atoms.”73 Essentially a kind of “Cryonics is an attempt to preserve enough (Author’s Note: the Wikipedia article probe like what is used in scanning tunneling of a person’s body, after death by current “Quantum Computers,” accessed Sep. microscopes, the nanosyringe would standards, to allow future technology to 1, 2015, notes that “the development of additionally be hollow like a hypodermic restore the person to health.”74 In the actual quantum computers is still in its needle and able to place or remove atoms. first part of the article, Hogg points out infancy.” Stay tuned, though!) The MASM would use an array of the regrettable facts that the procedures We are reasonably sure that personality nanosyringes to destructively map a involved in cryonics are not damage free traits such as memories, likes, dislikes and cryonics patient’s body, each atomic layer themselves and also not always timely. such are traceable and (in principle at least) being removed to expose the next layer. As Future technology will have its work cut recoverable from specific, detailed brain the layers are removed their information is out in using surviving structural “clues” for structure. The brain, unlike other organs, stored so that afterward an ultrastructural high-fidelity reconstruction of the patient. is not simply replaceable with a “generic” image of the body in three dimensions is Giving credit to Ralph Merkle and his version that functions adequately in the obtained (step 1). As in Merkle’s idea the 1994 paper, “The Molecular Repair of the body of the recipient. If all we could resulting database is then manipulated to Brain,” Hogg sizes up matters as follows: reconstruct of a person, neurally, was determine what changes in atomic position Three distinct technical abilities a generic brain that lacked the original, would be needed to obtain a healthy, are required for repair: detailed structure, it would seem to meet youthful version of the body (step 2). Finally, 1. Observe, in sufficient detail, the Merkle’s criterion of “information theoretic with advanced manufacturing methods the preserved structure death” and the person would be “gone.” revived, repaired and rejuvenated patient is 2. Compute what changes need to (Such might follow if the original brain actually constructed (step 3). For this last be made was lost but we still had a DNA sample, step either atoms similar but not identical 3. Manipulate the structure to make or even more primitively.) Yet having this to the original would be used, or, for those those changes generic structure might still be better, in having philosophical worries, the original The scale of these operations some reasonable sense, than just giving up atoms could have been saved and would (e.g., molecular or cellular) and having nothing at all. It would seem to now be restored to their original positions, will depend on the amount of beat the alternative of total oblivion. consistent with rejuvenation. suspension damage.75 We could thus imagine a scenario Soloviev’s concept is quite well thought- (One might also add, “and pre- in which a generic brain is imprinted out, if also quite theoretical. Several suspension damage as well.”) with basic functionality using advanced calculations indicate the thickness of each The second step in the above scenario, as technology, relying on records of the atomic layer and the likely number of atoms Hogg indicates, is primarily a problem of past, which, however, are scanty in many in each layer. The time estimated to scan/ computation. In some cases, of course, the important details. The resulting person ablate and also to manufacture an individual details of a particular preserved structure would remember their name and even layer is set at about one-thousandth of a should not matter; a more “generic” speak their native language. They might second. So we have another approach to version would do. This we would expect for know a lot about the customs and traditions the problem of cryonics resuscitation by a the body and most organs, which are, after of the world they came from, how they knowledgeable, intelligent devotee. all, a support system only for the “real” should and shouldn’t behave, and details of In the 1998 paper Soloviev tackles the person, which resides in the brain. (In fact advanced education or training that records task in a very similar manner but with more the body that a cryonics patient returns suggest they once had. In many ways they detail in some places and limited to the to consciousness in may be considerably might seem like the original person, able brain only. The brain would be scanned, enhanced or changed in constructive ways to carry on conversations and reason and

14 Cryonics / November 2015 www.alcor.org emote much as before. It is understandable, of the Great Library at Alexandria can the general problem of reconstructing though, that people who value their scarcely be overrated.) Ancient Romans, (resuscitating) cryonics patients. Using personal survival would want more than for example, were prolific letter writers a thought experiment (which could, of just a “tabula rasa” operating system with which enabled scholars to use the “only course, be easily replicated in real life) of this kind of basic functionality added. a penny found” methodology on these restoring ten coins that were originally So the question is, how much letters (as well as other writings), coupled showing a particular sequence of heads and information is needed to adequately with the extensive remains of buildings and tails, Hogg talks about how small bits of replicate a particular brain structure that is, other artifacts, to construct a vivid, albeit information can greatly help the process of in the case of each individual, unique in the not perfect, understanding of this ancient reconstruction. If one knows, for instance, history of the world due to each person’s quite civilization. In these reconstructive efforts that “the first and second coins in the row individualized life experiences as they go they have also obtained much information of ten must both be heads or both tails,” down through the years? about some of the individual members of the original list of over a thousand possible The answer to the question of “how that civilization, though those people are very initial configurations can be whittled down much” is, of course, “the more the better.” long dead. considerably (in this case by half). Further Not only information gathered by medical In the case of Christianity, knowledge of available information, such as, in this case, and scientific instrumentation but perhaps the existence of its central figure, who came that “the seventh and eighth coins in the even more relevantly, information produced from an otherwise very obscure outpost of row of ten must also both be heads or both by the individual during the parts of their the Roman Empire, proliferated through tails,” further narrows the possibilities. life when they were able to clearly recall word of mouth but also through written In the human body, the fact that small and/or document what was happening. records transcribed decades after his life. amounts of additional information can Artifacts such as photographs, videos, Those records have survived for millennia be used in helping narrow down the audio recordings, et cetera might diminish and still inform us. In the case of Ancient original number of possibilities, could the task of accurate brain reconstruction. Egypt a remarkable chain of events led work to great advantage. Individual atoms, In an example of the importance of to a detailed understanding through whether of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, et what may seem like otherwise trivial ancient records written in hieroglyphics. cetera, normally belong to molecules and information, this author remembers a high Knowledge of this writing system had been structures that have a particular function school teacher who gave my class a thought lost but the discovery of the Rosetta Stone and position inside the organism. Even in experiment to ponder. Suppose we were with its multilingual inscriptions, in which the case of individual ions like sodium and archaeologists in the future and the only text in hieroglyphics could be matched with potassium, which could be found near or artifact we found of the United States was equivalent, and still-understood, ancient in neurons, their function in the scheme of a copper penny. What conclusions could Greek, provided the key to decipherment. things isn’t just random but has a specific we draw? Initially quite skeptical about this “High-tech” thinking and technology role. They are the basis for neurological enterprise, the class gradually produced a may be of vital importance in getting activity through their exchange across the fairly long list. The coin was copper, which the “brain engine” cranking once again, semipermeable membrane of nerve cells. meant that some sort of mining skills and yet there is definitely a place for more The same could be said for oxygen found industry must have existed, along with traditional and lower-tech options also, in certain locations, given oxygen’s utility metal smelting (including high-temperature and in some cases, a combination of both. in respiratory and metabolic functions. furnaces) and other metal-working skills Hogg puts it this way: So, it isn’t just a case of “we found this and equipment. Some sort of drawing External records can also help single atom, what do we do with it?” skills had to exist to provide the likeness evaluate the quality of repair. In Instead, most likely the atom was part of of Lincoln, and writing skills due to the fact, this might be the only way to a system whose understanding will provide markings on the coin; the list goes on. determine when a repair is complete, information about where the atom should One is reminded of the famous Sherlock instead of “just” producing a go, or whether the whole system should not Holmes story in which the key fact was that similar, healthy individual. Even just be replaced with something equivalent. the watchdog didn’t bark, allowing Holmes if it doesn’t help a particular case, By continuing this kind of effort, using to narrow down the otherwise enormous this evaluation could help improve corrective feedback from further bits of list of suspects to those with whom the future repairs by showing what information gathered as one goes along, dog was familiar. A small and seemingly information is sufficient for repair successes could be verified and it could unimportant detail could lead to solving an with a given level of technology. become clear that one is replicating the otherwise impenetrable puzzle. Other reasons to maintain records original set-up with reasonably high fidelity. As an additional nod to the concept include the information’s value to One may think of the general process of traditional and “low tech” personal you and providing your preferences of restoration as dealing with a large historical records, consider that, given that for various repair options that may spreadsheet with a great number of audio and video recordings didn’t exist be, from a purely technical point of individual cells or records. Any particular until recently, all the knowledge of ancient view, equally likely to work.78 record may not seem very relevant at all, civilizations has come through two sources, In an aside to his article, Hogg provides for example, whether someone likes to play artifacts that were found and writings that an interesting and informative example golf or not, but, in combination with other survived. (The tragedy of the destruction of using a series of coins as a model for records, a unique pattern not found in other

www.alcor.org Cryonics / November 2015 15 spreadsheets begins to emerge. Someone likely act. Similarly, some psychological restoration of cryonics patients, but also what who likes to play golf is not rare, but let’s (and therefore brain) patterns in humans types of storage of this information would combine this with other traits. Suppose may be fairly widespread, but knowing be best: “Finally, remember one of the real they also love chess, like drag racing but not individualized information about a person, benefits of external records: redundancy. oval track racing, and are a moderate fan of as can be provided through diaries and other Make copies, perhaps in multiple formats, to the Dallas Cowboys football team but an personal records, can make the “database” save.”79 (Maybe we should add that, as in the avid fan of the Kentucky Wildcats college of that person more nearly unique and, case of the Rosetta stone, and perhaps using basketball team. Suppose finally that they therefore, more useful in doing a high- online automated language translation, make don’t like to watch professional basketball fidelity reconstruction. copies in several languages as well.)  at all. Sports marketers would seize on all As part of this interesting, helpful paper, this information to figure what this person Hogg considers, not only what types of would likely buy and how they would information could be useful in the future

Sources (referred to in Endnotes, below) About The Author CRFT Cryonics: Reaching For Tomorrow, Alcor Life Extension Foundation, copyrights York W. Porter, born in 1952, 1989, 1991, 1993, 4th Edition, December 1993. attended Berea College in Berea, Kentucky for two and a half years Fa1 Gregory Fahy, “A Scientific Critique of ‘Molecular Repair of the Brain’,” and, in Fall 1974, began working appeared in its original form in Cryonics, Volume 12(2), Feb. 1991. Ralph in a rural Kentucky hospital in the Merkle’s reply is in Cryonics, Volume 12 (5), May 1991. A paper with both Department of Radiology. Diversifying Greg Fahy’s criticisms and Ralph Merkle’s reply may be read at: www.alcor. through the years, Mr. Porter worked org/Library/html/MolecularRepair-Critique.html. for one year on an ambulance crew Fa2 Gregory Fahy, “A Realistic Scenario for Nanotechnological Repair of the and spent several years in a hospital Frozen Human Brain,” Cryonics: Reaching For Tomorrow, Alcor Life laboratory setting, plus about a year Extension Foundation, December 1993, Appendix B, Page A-10. doing respiratory therapy work. He Ho Tad Hogg, “Information Storage and Computational Aspects of Repair,” has worked fairly continuously in the Cryonics 16(3) (3rd Quarter 1996) 18-25. field of medical radiography, serving as a staff tech at various times in four Me4 Ralph Merkle, “Cryonics, Cryptography, and Maximum Likelihood rural Kentucky hospitals, primarily Estimation,” www.alcor.org/Library/html/CryonicsAndCryptography.html in the fields of general radiography (This paper was published in the Proceedings of the First Extropy Institute and computed tomography. He Conference, held at Sunnyvale, California in 1994. Some changes have also works on rare occasions at been made to this version). May also be viewed at www.merkle.com/cryo/ a Magnetic Resonance Imaging cryptoCryo.html. (MRI) center. He presently holds So1 Michael V. Soloviev, “SCRAM Reanimation,” Cryonics, 17(1) (1st Quarter certifications as a Kentucky EMT-B, 1996) 16-18. as a Licensed Radiation Operator (Kentucky’s phrase for an x-ray tech), So2 Michael V. Soloviev, “A Cell Repair Algorithm,” Cryonics, 19(1) (1st Quarter and as Medical Laboratory Scientist, 1998) 22-27. ASCP(cm). He is the President of the Immortalist Society, at the time of this ENDNOTES writing, and serves as Executive Editor 49 CRFT. 62 Information on microbivores may of its “house publication,” Long Life Magazine. 50 CRFT, Disclaimer Page. be found at http://www.jetpress. org/volume14/freitas.htm 51 Fa1. This article is an updated version of 63-70 Me4. 52-54 Fa2. a chapter which appeared in the book 71 So1. The Prospect of Immortality: Fifty Years Later 55-60 Fa1. 72 So2. edited by Charles Tandy, Ph.D. Readers 61 For more information on interested in a copy of the book may 73 So1, 17. respirocytes see the following check on Amazon.com link: http://www.foresight.org/ 74-75 Ho, 18. Nanomedicine/Respirocytes. 76-78 Ho, 19. htmldesign 79 Ho, 24.

16 Cryonics / November 2015 www.alcor.org Lawsuit launched against Anti-Cryonics Law in British Columbia By Carrie Wong

Notice of Civil Claim Filed precedent in Canada and perhaps globally under Section 14 would delay and hinder his On July 14, 2015, The Lifespan Society of as cryonics gains popularity. Furthermore, suspension causing, or threatening to cause, British Columbia and Keegan Macintosh funeral directors and other medical his information-theoretic death. Within the launched a civil suit against the government professionals are aware of Section 14 and as Civil Claim, information-theoretic death is of British Columbia with regards to the a result, it has had a chilling effect on making defined as: “destruction of the information anti-cryonics law on their books. The any kind of arrangement with regards to within a human (or any cognitive structure plaintiffs, Lifespan and Keegan, challenged cryonics in this province. Our activism takes that may constitute a person) to such an the constitutional validity of Section 14 a stand against overstep of government. We extent that recovery of the original person in the Cremation, Interment and Funeral do not accept this government’s attempt is theoretically impossible by any physical Services Act (CIFSA). at regulating something they clearly do means. The term means death that is Section 14 of CIFSA provides as follows: not understand. Taking a stand now will absolutely irreversible by any technology, hopefully influence future regulatory bodies as distinct from clinical death.” 14) A person must not offer for sale, or sell, to do the necessary research into what they There are a number of Alcor and CI an arrangement for the preservation or storage of are attempting to regulate. members within B.C. and these members human remains that is based on: To paraphrase the Notice of Civil Claim: legally signed up with a US company as (a) cryonics, “the plaintiffs only challenge the restriction Section 14 does not regulate companies (b) irradiation, or on selling cryonics services that are entered outside of B.C. However, emergency (c) any other means of preservation of storage, into by persons who clearly consent to the response is still an ongoing problem by whatever name called, and that is offered, or procedure and at the time of performance in cryonics. If Lifespan offered local sold, on the expectation of the resuscitation of of the services have ceased cardio- standby response and services, would that human remains at a future time. pulmonary function.” The structure of our be considered a “cryonics arrangement” legal challenge is that Lifespan, on a not- and an offence under Section 14? This is I covered the legal activism against for-profit basis, wishes to, but cannot, offer completely unclear. Our legal challenge will Section 14 in an August 2014 Cryonics cryonics services to Keegan Macintosh. either force clarification of this law or defeat article titled “Cryonics in Conflict: 25 Years In the offer for cryonics services, it. The plaintiffs seek a legal declaration of Activism.” The history of this law and Lifespan would not guarantee resuscitation that Section 14 is of no force and effect the subsequent activism were covered in or exaggerate the prospects of resuscitation. or a declaration that Section 14 does not some detail in my last article. This article This is in line with all other cryonics service prohibit selling or offering to sell cryonics is about the current and ongoing legal providers; none of them exaggerate the that does not guarantee resuscitation or battle. The complete Notice of Civil prospects of resuscitation. CIFSA does not exaggerate the prospect of resuscitation. Claim launched by The Lifespan Society define cryonics services, but these services The words “the expectation” in Section of British Columbia can be found on our could range from standby and cooling 14 could be amended to “an exaggerated website: www.lifespanbc.ca to vitrification and transportation. The representation of the probability” of Although no one has been prosecuted Lifespan Society of B.C. does not currently resuscitation. under this law there are hefty fines and even offer cryonics services, but intends to do The legal basis of our challenge is that imprisonment for committing an offence so for Keegan Macintosh if they had the Section 14, 61 and 62 of CFSA infringes under Section 14. Currently, this provincial legal right to. Keegan is in very good health upon Section 7 of the Charter of Rights law only affects the residents of B.C., but and is of sound mind and he believes on and Freedoms to each of life, liberty and it could be setting an unacceptable legal reasonable grounds that the prohibition security of the person and are inconsistent

www.alcor.org Cryonics / November 2015 17 with the principles of fundamental justice, let them know cryonics existed, and that it of giving rise to reasonable expectation including arbitrariness, overbreadth and was available for the average person. There that it will. Since resuscitation following vagueness. In addition, this restriction was one caller who expressed interest in clinical death has been and continues to be cannot be justified in a free and democratic cryonics and talked about how he first impossible, sales holding out the likelihood society pursuant to Section 1 of the Charter encountered it through an article in a or expectation of resuscitation raise a of Rights and Freedoms. sports magazine about how Ted Williams consumer protection concern.” “The right to life is infringed as had been cryopreserved. There are a number of problems the impugned provisions deprive the with this response. An expectation that individual seeking services pursuant to a “In my lifetime, I have witnessed the right to life, something will happen is not just having Cryonics Arrangement of the possibility the right to die and now, the right to live again!” any likelihood that something will happen. or probability of extending his or her – Caller We take the position that the probability life. The right to liberty is infringed as the I am not a polished public speaker, but of future resuscitation is above zero, individual seeking services pursuant to I managed to stick with my talking points which implies that there is some likelihood a Cryonics Arrangement is deprived of and not say anything that the media could of resuscitation that is meaningful, but the fundamental choice of disposing of use to make us look strange or crazy. difficult to quantify. This is clearly different their bodies as they see fit and pursuing Earlier this year, Canadians won the right than a “high likelihood” or guaranteed future health care, which is a fundamental to “die with dignity” with doctor-assisted resuscitation which is an exaggeration of choice. The right to security of the person suicide. This was a high profile case that the prospects of resuscitation. is infringed as persons who wish to sell or went all the way up to the Supreme Court In addition, there is little legal basis for offer to sell a Cryonics Arrangement are of Canada and concluded with a victory the government’s interpretation of the threatened with imprisonment and fines.” for the civil rights camp. In an interesting word “expectation.” Someone cannot sell – Notice of Civil Claim (July 14th, 2015) twist, it was useful to tie our case to this cryonics as a service without an implication case because they are both disputes about that there is a probability above zero of the bodily autonomy. I argued, if people had prospect of resuscitation at a later date. So the right to die with dignity, how could they we responded with a letter outlining our “Taking a stand now will possibly not have the right to attempt to disagreements and called for a formal legal hopefully influence future live longer in the future? If we win this case, response. it will be another victory for bodily and regulatory bodies to do the life autonomy. After hearing all the radio Government’s Formal Legal necessary research into what they responses and reading all the comments, I Response feel confident in saying that we had won The government filed the formal response are attempting to regulate.” in the court of public opinion. But how to Civil Claim on September 9, 2015. They would the government respond? admitted that the term “expectation” is not defined in the Cremation, Interment Media Frenzy Initial Government Response and Funeral Services Act (CIFSA). The After filing our civil suit, there was a media The government responded to our civil government defendant denies that Section storm. Keegan and I were approached by claim with a letter on August 7, 2015. To 14 prohibits all sales or offers for sale of various news, radio and even TV groups. be clear, this letter was not a formal legal cryonics services. They deny the allegation CBC, CTV News, Metro News, Global response. It was more a letter of clarification that the scope of Section 14 is uncertain. BC and other national and provincial-wide and an attempt to get us to drop our case. In addition, they define “expectation” as a news organizations wanted to get more In the letter they reiterate that there have “strong belief that something will occur.” information about our case. In terms of been no prosecutions under Section 14. In According to their legal counsel, the Act media talking-points, we stuck with the civil addition, they state the Attorney General’s only intended to restrict the selling of rights angle. It’s difficult for the average view that the Cremation, Interment Funeral cryonics that gives rise to an expectation person to argue against our right to do Services Act (CIFSA) is part of important that the purchaser’s remains will be with our bodies what we want, especially consumer protection legislation. It is their resuscitated. In light of that, they state after clinical death. The journalists, view that the prohibitions are aimed at that Lifespan’s proposed activities would media personalities and radio talk-show protecting the public from questionable not trigger a violation of Section 14. So hosts were actually pretty sympathetic practices in the funeral services industry. they are arguing that Lifespan’s intended to cryonics. The overwhelming majority The letter further goes on to state that activities would not be illegal. They find of people who phoned into these shows “Expectation has its commonly understood our claim academic and hypothetical and supported our right to access cryonics meaning, and in this context means where they do not find our proposed [cryonics] services. Our legal activism was a great an outcome is held out as something that activities controversial. In a way, our claim opportunity to reach out to the public and is likely to happen and is therefore capable is hypothetical, but the law has real-world

18 Cryonics / November 2015 www.alcor.org consequences. This law has a chilling effect expectation as a “strong belief something the judge disagrees with the government on current cryonics arrangements with will occur.” This specifically targets sales or lawyer’s interpretation of “expectation of funeral directors and furthermore, it could offers that instill in the buyer a strong belief resuscitation” and assigns this terminology potentially stifle any progress or innovation that they will be resuscitated. No cryonics to mean that cryonics arrangements cannot in cryonics services in the future. providers offer cryonics arrangements be sold on the basis of any probability Unfortunately, they also pointed out by instilling in the buyer an expectation above zero for resuscitation. We find this that Lifespan, as a non-profit organization, of resuscitation with a high probability problematic because it would then restrict does not have protection under the Charter in the future. We are uncertain how they all cryonics services, period. This would of Rights and Freedoms and cannot seek would judge which marketing material result in us being forced to either get the law remedy under the Charter. However, would create “a strong belief ” about future itself removed or amended rather than just Keegan Macintosh is also a plaintiff and resuscitation in a person unless there was an having a judge ruling set a legal precedent. he should get protection under Section 7 explicit guarantee in the service provided. This case is ongoing and donations would of the Charter. Their legal counsel argues Showing two different individuals the be appreciated: http://www.lifespanbc.ca/ that since Keegan cannot face prosecution same material about cryonics yields wildly donate  under Section 14, his rights are not being different beliefs about their prospects of infringed on. The problem we have with resuscitation based on their own personal Carrie Wong is a this is that, Section 14 restricts Keegan’s belief and understanding of the world. young Canadian ability to enter into cryonics arrangements Our initial Civil Claim is not against a cryonicist. She with Lifespan, which restricts his ability to prohibition on the sale of cryonics with an graduated in pursue life, liberty and security. exaggerated prospect of resuscitation. We 2011 with degree suggested an amendment to Section 14 that in geology from would include this clarification. The University of “We are uncertain how they There are so few cryonics members in British Columbia B.C. that it still remains a complete mystery and worked in would judge which marketing how and why they decided to attempt to gold exploration for a few years. material would create “a strong regulate this industry. Ideally we could have In addition to writing for Cryonics this law taken off the books, but that may magazine, she is also writing for belief” about future resuscitation not be on the table. It is promising that they geologyforinvestors.com and running put emphasis on the fact that Lifespan’s a cartography business. in a person unless there was intended services would be perfectly legal. an explicit guarantee in the The plaintiffs do not oppose restricting exaggerated prospects of resuscitation. service provided.” If a company actually offered cryonics with a guarantee of resuscitation, it could potentially harm cryonics as a whole. According to their legal counsel, they only intended to restrict cryonics services What Comes Next? from sales based on misrepresentations So the next step in our legal challenge is to about the likelihood of future resuscitation. put this case in front of a judge to set legal They do not find this restriction arbitrary precedent with a ruling. One way our case as this only restricts vendors who make could go is the judge could side with the idea “prescribed representation” for future that the law only applies to an exaggeration resuscitation, so they do not consider this of the prospect of resuscitation, and law’s reach to be overbroad. In our initial our case will be dismissed. With this we Civil Claim, we state clearly that we do would have a clear legal precedent that not have a problem with the government the sale of cryonics arrangements is legal, restricting sales based on an exaggeration but the exaggeration of the prospects of of the expectation of resuscitation. resuscitation is not legal in B.C. I would However, it is unclear from Section 14 what consider that a legal victory because would, in fact, constitute an “expectation” no cryonics provider currently makes of resuscitation. exaggerated claims about the prospect of The government’s legal counsel, resuscitation. So the law would not restrict thus far, has avoided any statements any cryonics provider in B.C. However, about probabilities and only focuses on the other way the case could go is that

www.alcor.org Cryonics / November 2015 19 Reduce Your Alcor Dues With The CMS Waiver

Alcor members pay general dues to cover Alcor’s neurocryopreservation members under this election would operating expenses and also make annual contributions to be $110,000). Once this election is made, the member the Comprehensive Member Standby fund pool to cover the cannot change back to the original minimums in the future. costs of readiness and standby. Benefits of Comprehensive To have the CMS fee waived, these are the minimums: Member Standby include no out-of-pocket expense for standby services at the time of need, and up to $10,000 for • $220,000 Whole Body Cryopreservation relocation assistance to the Scottsdale, Arizona area. ($115,000 to the Patient Care Trust, $60,000 for Instead of paying $180 per year in CMS dues, Alcor also cryopreservation, $45,000 to the CMS Fund). provides members the option to cover all CMS-associated • $100,000 Neurocryopreservation ($25,000 to the costs through life insurance or pre-payment. Members who Patient Care Trust, $30,000 for cryopreservation, provide an additional $20,000 in minimum funding will no $45,000 to the CMS Fund). longer have to pay the $180 CMS (Comprehensive Member Standby fund) fee. This increase in minimums is permanent If you have adequate funding and would like to take (for example, if in the future Alcor were to raise the cost of advantage of the CMS waiver, contact Diane Cremeens at a neurocryopreservation to $90,000, the new minimum for [email protected].

Become An Alcor Associate Member! Supporters of Alcor who are not yet ready to make cryopreservation arrangements can become an Associate Member for $5/month (or $15/quarter or $60 annually). Associate Members are members of the Alcor Life Extension Foundation who have not made cryonics arrangements but financially support the organization. Associate Members will receive:

• Cryonics magazine by mail • Discounts on Alcor conferences • Access to post in the Alcor Member Forums • A dollar-for-dollar credit toward full membership sign-up fees for any dues paid for Associate Membership

To become an Associate Member send a check or money order ($5/month or $15/quarter or $60 annually) to Alcor Life Extension Foundation, 7895 E. Acoma Dr., Suite 110, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260, or call Marji Klima at (480) 905-1906 ext. 101 with your credit card information. Or you can pay online via PayPal using the following link: http://www.alcor.org/BecomeMember/associate.html (quarterly option is not available this way). Associate Members can improve their chances of being cryo- preserved in an emergency if they complete and provide us with a Declaration of Intent to be Cryopreserved (http://www.alcor.org/Library/ html/declarationofintent.html). Financial provisions would still have to be made by you or someone acting for you, but the combination of Associate Membership and Declaration of Intent meets the informed consent requirement and makes it much more likely that we could move ahead in a critical situation.

20 Cryonics / November 2015 www.alcor.org Superior-Absorbing CURCUMIN or

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• Almost double the free radical- A bottle of 30 softgels of Advanced Chart 2. Super Bio-Curcumin® showed 6.9 times greater fighting support. A separate Bio-Curcumin® With Ginger & bioavailability (absorption and sustainability over eight study indicated that curcumin hours) in humans compared with conventional curcumin Turmerones (Item #01808) retails for (as measured by the area under the curve [AUC] in a plot extract provided powerful $30. Super Sale price is reduced to of blood levels against time, that is, the total amount of support for heart health. $20.25 per bottle. The suggested dose curcumin absorbed by the body over eight hours). for either of these highly absorbable References curcumin supplements is one capsule Absorption of Super Bio-Curcumin®® in Rats 1. Nat Sci Biol Med. 2013 Jan-Jun;4(1):3-7. daily. Absorption of Super Bio-Curcumin in Rats 8 ComparedCompared with with Conventional Conventional Curcumin Curcumin5 2. Biofactors. 2013 Jan-Feb;39(1):2-13. 250– 3. Indian J Pharm Sci. 2008 Jul-Aug;70(4):445-9. 200– 4. Int J Pharmacol. 2009;5(6):333-45. CAUTION: Do not take if you have gallbladder problems or gallstones. If you are taking anticoagulant or antiplatelet 150– 5. Food Nutr Res. 2009;48(3):148-52. medications, or have a bleeding disorder, consult your 6. J Med Food. 2012 Mar;15(3):242-52. healthcare provider before taking this product. 100– 7. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2007;60:171-7. Bio-Curcumin® and BCM-95® are registered trademarks of 50– 8. Bioavailability study of BCM-95® in rats. Orcas Dolcas-Biotech, LLC. U.S. Patent Nos. 7,883,728, 7,736,679 International Inc. and 7,879,373. 0– Curcumin Super Bio-Curcumin® Standalone Extract (BCM-95®) Plasma Curcumin Concentration (ng/mL) Concentration Curcumin Plasma Call toll-free 1-800-544-4440 to speak to a live operator Chart 3. Bioavailability in rats fed with 7.8 times higher (24 hours) or visit www.LifeExtension.com. than conventional curcumin. 502.62L A3 1115

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

1020

TOTAL 116 11

Number of Alcor patients Alcor of Number

25 2 nited Kingdom nited U

1 0 nited Arab Emirates Arab nited U

3 1 Thailand

3 1 Spain

1 0 Singapore

4 0 Portugal

1 0 Norway

1 0 New Zealand New

1 0 Netherlands

1 0 Monaco

4 0 Mexico

4 0 Japan

3 0 Number of Alcor members Alcor of Number Italy

1 1 Israel Israel

1 0 Hong Kong Hong

8 0 Germany

0 1 China

43 2 Canada

11 3 Australia Australia

Country

Patients Members

International

1358 1350 1339 1332 1327 1316 1306 1301 Total

190 170 163 157 159 155 152 151 Associate

141 139 139 138 135 134 134 134 Patients

1027 1041 1037 1037 1033 1027 1020 1016 Members

DEC NOV OCT SEP AUG JUL JUN MAY APR MAR FEB JAN 2015 Membership Statistics Membership Resuscitation Update Reported by R. Michael Perry

Aldehyde-Stabilized tissues like growth, morphogenesis, and is feared that they could cause disease in Cryopreservation healing. The method uses solutions of human transplant recipients. peptide and protein molecules that, upon Robert McIntyre and Gregory Fahy, in touching each other, self-assemble to form Sara Reardon/Nature work supported by 21st Century Medicine a dynamic tissue at the point at which they 6 Oct. 2015 (Fontana, CA) and the Brain Preservation meet. As the material assembles itself it http://www.nature.com/news/gene- Foundation (Cambridge, MA), have can be easily guided to grow into complex editing-record-smashed-in-pigs-1.18525 developed a new technique for preserving shapes. This discovery could lead to the brain tissue with very little distortion or engineering of tissues like veins, arteries, signs of injury. The new technique, called or even the blood-brain barrier, which Supercoiled DNA Is Far More aldehyde-stabilized cryopreservation would allow scientists to study diseases Dynamic Than the such as Alzheimer’s with a high level (ASC), demonstrates the relevance and ‘Watson-Crick’ Double Helix utility of advanced cryopreservation of similarity to the real tissue, which is science for the neurobiological research currently impossible. The technique could also contribute to the creation of better Researchers have imaged in unprecedented community. ASC is a new brain- detail the three-dimensional structure of banking technique designed to facilitate implants, complex tissues, or more effective drug screening methods. supercoiled DNA, revealing that its shape neuroanatomic research such as is much more dynamic than the well-known connectomics research, and has the unique KurzweilAI/QMUL double helix. Various DNA shapes, including ability to combine stable long term ice-free figure-8s, were imaged using a powerful sample storage with excellent anatomical 29 Sep. 2015 http://www.kurzweilai.net/self- microscopy technique by researchers at resolution. To demonstrate the feasibility the Baylor College of Medicine in the US, of ASC, the researchers perfuse-fixed assembling-material-could-lead-to- artificial-arteries and then examined using supercomputer rabbit and pig brains with a glutaraldehyde- simulations run at the University of Leeds. based fixative, then slowly perfused As reported online Oct. 12 in the journal increasing concentrations of ethylene Nature Communications, the simulations also glycol over several hours in a manner Gene-Editing Record show the dynamic nature of DNA, which similar to techniques used for whole organ Smashed in Pigs constantly wiggles and morphs into different cryopreservation. Once 65% w/v ethylene shapes—a far cry from the commonly glycol was reached, they vitrified brains at For decades, scientists and doctors have held idea of a rigid and static double helix −135°C for indefinite long-term storage. dreamed of creating a steady supply of structure. Improving our understanding of human organs for transplantation by what DNA looks like when it is in the cell ScienceDirect growing them in pigs. But concerns about will help us to design better medicines, such 25 Sep. 2015 rejection by the human immune system as new antibiotics or more effective cancer http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ and infection by viruses embedded in the chemotherapies. Dr. Sarah Harris from article/pii/S001122401500245X pig genome have stymied research. Now, the School of Physics and Astronomy at by modifying more than 60 genes in pig the University of Leeds led the computer embryos—ten times more than have been simulation research side of the study. Self-Assembling Material Could edited in any other animal—researchers Lead to Artificial Arteries believe they may have produced a suitable ScienceDaily/University of Leeds non-human organ donor. The work was 12 Oct. 2015 Researchers at Queen Mary University of presented on 5 October at a meeting of the http://www.sciencedaily.com/ London (QMUL) have developed a way of US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) releases/2015/10/151012083802.htm assembling organic molecules into complex in Washington DC on human gene editing. tubular tissue-like structures without the Geneticist George Church of Harvard use of molds or techniques like 3D printing. Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, Artificial Skin That Can The study, which appeared Monday 28 announced that he and colleagues had used the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology Send Pressure Sensations September in the journal Nature Chemistry, to Brain Cells describes how peptides and proteins can to inactivate 62 porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) in pig embryos. These be used to create materials that exhibit Zhenan Bao, a professor of chemical dynamic behaviors found in biological viruses are embedded in all pigs’ genomes and cannot be treated or neutralized. It engineering at Stanford, has spent a

www.alcor.org Cryonics / November 2015 23 decade trying to develop a material that team at Janelia aim to understand how a 3D-Printed Guide Helps mimics skin’s ability to flex and heal, while functioning nervous system emerges in an Regrow Complex Nerves after also serving as the sensor net that sends embryo. Over the last five years, they have touch, temperature and pain signals to devised several imaging technologies that Injury the brain. Ultimately she wants to create make it possible to image large biological a flexible electronic fabric embedded samples at high speed. A national team of researchers has with sensors that could cover a prosthetic developed a first-of-its-kind, 3D-printed limb and replicate some of skin’s sensory HHMI News (Howard Hughes Medical guide that helps regrow both the sensory functions. Bao’s work, reported today Institute) and motor functions of complex nerves in Science, takes another step toward her 26 Oct. 2015 after injury. The groundbreaking research goal by replicating one aspect of touch, https://www.hhmi.org/news/ has the potential to help more than the sensory mechanism that enables us to seeing-big-picture 200,000 people annually who experience distinguish the pressure difference between nerve injuries or disease. Collaborators a limp handshake and a firm grip. “This is on the project are from the University of Minnesota, Virginia Tech, University of the first time a flexible, skin-like material Targeted Electrical Stimulation has been able to detect pressure and also Maryland, Princeton University, and Johns transmit a signal to a component of the of the Brain Shows Promise as Hopkins University. Nerve regeneration is nervous system,” said Bao, who led the a Memory Aid a complex process, which makes regrowth 17-person research team responsible for of nerves after injury or disease very the achievement. Benjamin Tee, a recent Electrical arrays implanted in the memory rare, according to the Mayo Clinic. Nerve doctoral graduate in electrical engineering; centers of the brain are showing promise damage is often permanent. Advanced Alex Chortos, a doctoral candidate in for their ability to help patients improve 3D printing methods may now be the materials science and engineering; and their scores on memory tests, raising hope solution. In a new study, published today Andre Berndt, a postdoctoral scholar in that such approaches may someday help in the journal Advanced Functional Materials, bioengineering, were the lead authors on individuals suffering from memory deficits researchers used a combination of 3D the Science paper. as a result of traumatic brain injury or other imaging and 3D printing techniques to ScienceDaily/Stanford University pathologies. The preliminary findings, create a custom silicone guide implanted 15 Oct. 2015 from DARPA’s Restoring Active Memory with biochemical cues to help nerve http://www.sciencedaily.com/ (RAM) program, were presented in St. regeneration. The guide’s effectiveness releases/2015/10/151015144707.htm Louis on Thursday at Wait, What? A Future was tested in the lab using rats. To achieve Technology Forum, hosted by the Agency. their results, researchers used a 3D scanner Just over one year into the effort, the novel to reverse engineer the structure of a rat’s sciatic nerve. Moving Multicellular approach to facilitating memory formation and recall has already been tested in a few Organisms Mapped in 3-D at dozen human volunteers, said program University of Minnesota Single-Cell Resolution manager Justin Sanchez. The subjects 17 Sep. 2015 in the study have neurological problems http://discover.umn.edu/news/science- A new microscope developed at the unrelated to memory loss, but volunteered technology/3d-printed-guide-helps- Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia to test the new neurotechnological regrow-complex-nerves-after-injury Research Campus is giving scientists a interventions while they were undergoing clearer, more comprehensive view of brain surgery. In the study, small electrode biological processes as they unfold in living arrays are placed in brain regions known to UK Scientists Apply for animals. Called the IsoView light sheet be involved in the formation of declarative Licence to Edit Genes in microscope, it produces images of entire memory, as well as in regions involved in Human Embryos organisms, such as a zebrafish or fruit fly spatial memory and navigation. embryo, with enough resolution in all three Scientists in London have asked dimensions that each cell appears as a Defense Advanced Research Projects distinct structure. What’s more, it does so permission to edit the genomes of human Agency (DARPA) embryos—a request that could lead to the at speeds fast enough to watch cells move 11 Sep. 2015 as a developing embryo takes shape and to world’s first approval of such research by http://www.darpa.mil/news-events/ a national regulatory body. Kathy Niakan, monitor brain activity as it flashes through 2015-09-11a neuronal circuits. Nearly two years in a researcher affiliated with the Francis development, Janelia group leader Philipp Crick Institute, London’s new £700-million Keller says his team has built the first light (US$1.1-billion) biomedical-research microscope capable of imaging large, center, said on 18 September that she is non-transparent specimens at sub-second proposing to use gene editing to provide temporal resolution and sub-cellular spatial “fundamental insights into early human resolution in all dimensions. Keller and his development.” In a statement released

24 Cryonics / November 2015 www.alcor.org through the Crick, Niakan said that her Aldehyde-Stabilized based fixative, then slowly perfused team wanted to use technology based on Cryopreservation increasing concentrations of ethylene the CRISPR/Cas9 system—a recently glycol over several hours in a manner developed technique for precisely editing Robert McIntyre and Gregory Fahy, in similar to techniques used for whole organ genomes that has become hugely popular work supported by 21st Century Medicine cryopreservation. Once 65% w/v ethylene in the biology community. Her application (Fontana, CA) and the Brain Preservation glycol was reached, they vitrified brains at was first reported by The Guardian Foundation (Cambridge, MA), have −135°C for indefinite long-term storage. newspaper. Editing the genomes of human developed a new technique for preserving embryos for a therapeutic use— for brain tissue with very little distortion or ScienceDirect example, to eradicate a genetic disease—is signs of injury. The new technique, called 25 Sep. 2015 illegal in the United Kingdom, but research aldehyde-stabilized cryopreservation (ASC), http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ work is possible under license from the demonstrates the relevance and utility of article/pii/S001122401500245X Human Fertilisation and Embryology advanced cryopreservation science for the Authority (HFEA). neurobiological research community. ASC is a new brain-banking technique designed Nature / Daniel Cressey, Alison Abbott, to facilitate neuroanatomic research such as Heidi Ledford connectomics research, and has the unique 18 Sep. 2015 ability to combine stable long term ice-free http://www.nature.com/news/uk- sample storage with excellent anatomical scientists-apply-for-licence-to-edit-genes- resolution. To demonstrate the feasibility in-human-embryos-1.18394#auth-2 of ASC, the researchers perfuse-fixed rabbit and pig brains with a glutaraldehyde-

A Roadmap to Resuscitation uccessful rejuvenation of cryonics patients will Magazine (July-August 1977):80-83. Reprinted in Cryonics Srequire three distinct technologies: (1) A cure for the 29:4 (4th Quarter 2008),14-17. disease that put the patient in a critical condition prior to cryopreservation; (2) biological or mechanical cell Greg Fahy, “A ‘Realistic’ Scenario for Nanotechnological repair technologies that can reverse any injury associated Repair of the Frozen Human Brain,” in Brian Wowk, with the cryopreservation process and long-term care at Michael Darwin, eds., Cryonics: Reaching for Tomorrow, low temperatures; (3) rejuvenation biotechnologies that Alcor Life Extension Foundation, 1991. restore the patient to good health prior to resuscitation. OR it will require some entirely new approach such as (1) Ralph C. Merkle, “The Molecular Repair of the Brain,” mapping the ultrastructure of cryopreserved brain tissue Cryonics 15(January 1994):16-31 (Part I) & Cryonics using nanotechnology, and (2) using this information to 15(April 1994):20-32 (Part II). deduce the original structure and repairing, replicating or simulating tissue or structure in some viable form so the Ralph C. Merkle, “Cryonics, Cryptography, and Maximum person “comes back.” Likelihood Estimation,” First Extropy Institute Conference, Sunnyvale CA, 1994. The following list is a list of landmark papers and books that reflect ongoing progress towards the resuscitation of Aubrey de Grey & Michael Rae, “Ending Aging: The cryonics patients: Rejuvenation Breakthroughs That Could Reverse Human Aging in Our Lifetime.” St. Martin’s Press, 2007 Jerome B. White, “Viral-Induced Repair of Damaged Neurons with Preservation of Long-Term Information Robert A. Freitas Jr., “Comprehensive Nanorobotic Content,” Second Annual Conference of the Cryonics Control of Human Morbidity and Aging,” in Gregory M. Societies of America, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Fahy, Michael D. West, L. Stephen Coles, and Steven B. April 11-12, 1969, by J. B. White reprinted in Cryonics Harris, eds, The Future of Aging: Pathways to Human Life 35:10 (October 2014), 8-17. Extension, Springer, New York, 2010, pp. 685-805.

Michael G. Darwin, “The Anabolocyte: A Biological Chana de Wolf (now Phaedra), “Reconstructive Approach to Repairing Cryoinjury,” Life Extension Connectomics,” Cryonics 34:7 (July 2013), 26-28.

www.alcor.org Cryonics / November 2015 25 MEETINGS

About the Alcor Foundation British Columbia (Canada): The Alcor Life Extension Foundation is a nonprofit tax-exempt scientific and The contact person for meetings in educational organization dedicated to advancing the science of cryopreservation the Vancouver area is Keegan Macintosh: and promoting cryonics as a rational option. Being an Alcor member means [email protected]. knowing that—should the worst happen—Alcor’s Emergency Response Team is ready to respond for you, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Oregon: The contact person for meetings in Alcor’s Emergency Response capability includes specially trained technicians and the Portland area is Aschwin de Wolf: customized equipment in Arizona, northern California, southern California, and [email protected]. See also: https://www. south Florida, as well as many additional certified technicians on-call around the facebook.com/portland.life.extension United States. Alcor’s Arizona facility includes a full-time staff, and the Patient Care Bay is personally monitored 24 hours a day. ALCOR PORTUGAL Alcor Portugal is working to have good ARIZONA stabilization and transport capabilities. The Flagstaff: San Francisco Bay: group meets every Saturday for two hours. Arizona without the inferno. Cryonics Alcor Northern California Meetings For information about meetings, contact group in beautiful, high-altitude Flagstaff. are held quarterly in January, April, July, Nuno Martins at n-martins@n-martins. Two-hour drive to Alcor. Contact eric@ and October. A CryoFeast is held once com. The Alcor Portugal website is: www. flagstaffcryo.com for more information. a year. For information on Northern alcorportugal.com. California meetings, call Mark Galeck at PHOENIX (650) 969-1671, (650) 534-6409 or email TEXAS VALLEY OF THE SUN: [email protected]. Dallas: This group meets monthly, usually North Texas Cryonauts, please sign up in the third week of the month. Dates FLORIDA for our announcements list for meetings are determined by the activity or event Central Florida Life Extension group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ planned. For more information or to meets once a month in the Tampa Bay cryonauts-announce) or contact David RSVP, visit http://cryonics.meetup. area (Tampa and St. Petersburg) for Wallace Croft at (214) 636-3790 for details com/45/ or email Lisa Shock at lisa@ discussion and socializing. The group of upcoming meetings. alcor.org. has been active since 2007. Email [email protected] for more Austin/Central Texas: At Alcor: information. A new group for the Austin area Alcor Board of Directors Meetings and has been started for those interested in Facility Tours—Alcor business meetings are NEW ENGLAND discussion and understanding of the generally held on the first Saturday of every Cambridge: relevant technologies and issues for month starting at 11:00 AM MST. Guests The New England regional group cryopreservation, genomics, epigenetics and are welcome to attend the fully-public strives to meet monthly in Cambridge, medical research for increased life/health board meetings. Facility tours are held every MA—for information or to be added span. Contact Tom Miller, 760-803-4107 or Tuesday at 10:00 AM and Friday at 2:00 PM. to the Alcor NE mailing list, please [email protected]. For more information or to schedule a tour, contact Bret Kulakovich at 617-824-8982, call Marji Klima at (877) 462-5267 x101 or [email protected], or on JAPAN email [email protected]. FACEBOOK via the Cryonics Special Cryonics meetings are held monthly in Interest Group. Tokyo. Send queries to grand88(at)yahoo. CALIFORNIA com. Los Angeles: PACIFIC NORTHWEST Alcor Southern California Meetings— A Yahoo mailing list is also maintained UNITED KINGDOM For information, call Peter Voss at for cryonicists in the Pacific Northwest Alcor members in the UK can contact (310) 822-4533 or e-mail him at peter@ at http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ Garret Smyth at [email protected] for optimal.org. Although monthly meetings CryonicsNW/. information about local meetings. are not held regularly, you can meet Los Angeles Alcor members by contacting Peter.

If you are interested in hosting regular meetings in your area, contact Alcor at 877-462-5267, ext. 113. Meetings are a great way to learn about cryonics, meet others with similar interests, and introduce your friends and family to Alcor members!

26 Cryonics / November 2015 www.alcor.org What is Cryonics?

ryonics is an attempt to preserve and protect human life, not reverse death. It is the practice of using extreme cold to attempt to preserve the life of a person who can no longer be supported by today’s medicine. Will Cfuture 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 do I find out more?

he Alcor Life Extension Foundation is the world leader in cryonics research and technology. Alcor is a non- profit organization located in Scottsdale, Arizona, founded in 1972. Our website is one of the best sources of Tdetailed 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 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 do I enroll? Signing up for a cryopreservation is easy! Step 1: Fill out an application and submit it with your $90 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.

Not ready to make full arrangements for cryopreservation? Then become an Associate Member for $5/month (or $15/quarter or $60 annually). Associate Members will receive: • Cryonics magazine by mail • Discounts on Alcor conferences • Access to post in the Alcor Member Forums • A dollar-for-dollar credit toward full membership sign-up fees for any dues paid for Associate Membership

To become an Associate Member send a check or money order ($5/month or $15/quarter or $60 annually) to Alcor Life Extension Foundation, 7895 E. Acoma Dr., Suite 110, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260, or call Marji Klima at (480) 905-1906 ext. 101 with your credit card information. You can also pay using PayPal (and get the Declaration of Intent to Be Cryopreserved) here: http://www.alcor.org/BecomeMember/associate.html

Call toll-free TODAY to start your application:

877-462-5267 ext. 132 • [email protected] • www.alcor.org Get the world’s premier publication on prolonging youth and longevity for only $1.00 an issue. 502.62L A1 1115

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