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Ÿþc R Y O N I C S M a G a Z I N E , N O V E M B E R 2 0 A Non-Profit Organization November 2013 • Volume 34:11 The High Price of Life on Hold: Sheskin’s Study and Other Reflections on Cryonics in New York Page 6 Cryospan Facility 171 Eads St West Babylon, NY July 1972 Bitcoin and Cryonics, Part 2: by Mike Darwin Brain Wallets Page 13 The Transhumanist Reader: Classical and Contemporary Essays ISSN 1054-4305 on the Science, Technology, and Philosophy of the Human Future Page 22 $9.95 Improve Your Oddsof 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. A Non-Profit Organization CONTENTS 5 QUOD INCEPIMUS rofit Organization A Non-P CONFICIEMUS Ultrastructural Signatures of lume 34:11 er 2013 • Vo Novemb Information-Theoretic Death ld: Wrapping corpses in plastic may not Ho e on preserve the brain, but how long the of Lif brain can be held at cold temperatures, gh Pricedy and The Hi s Stu ns kin’ and what preservation methods are hes S r Reflectio available for patients with very long Othe nics in Cryo COVER STORY: PAGE 6 cold ischemic times, are important on rk New Yo practical research questions for Alcor. Page 6 The High Price of Life on Hold: Facility Sheskin’s StudyCryospan and Other 171 Eads St 11 COOLER MINDS PREVAIL West Babylon, NY July 1972 Reflections on Cryonicse Darwin in New York by Mik An End to the Virus In the 1970s Arlene Sheskin, a Despite minimal funding over an 2: Part nics, sociologist, made a study of cryonics eleven year course of development, yo ISSN 1054-4305 oin and Cr tc allets in New York that was unique in its Dr. Todd H. Rider and colleagues at Bi r: ys Brain W y Essa rar Page 13 manist Readethoroughness, and as well$9.95 as its early MIT have announced a new broad hu ntempoology re man Futu spectrum anti-viral therapeutic The Trans nce, Techn date. Though her main thrust was to Classical and Co the Hu the Sciephy of on oso that appears to be effective against Phil consider the effects of cryopreservation Page 22 on relatives or “survivors,” here we all known viruses. The treatment, DRACO, could mean an end to the focus on the historical narrative, virus. But will it ever make it to clinical supplemented by some lively trials and into your medicine cabinet? commentary by contemporary cryonicists, mainly Curtis Henderson. 18 Twenty Minutes Into the Future? Book Review of The Transhumanist Wager 13 IN PERPETUITY Alcor Member Mark Plus reviews Zoltan Istvan’s The Transhumanist Bitcoin and Cryonics, Part 2: Brain Wallets Wager, a novel that tells the story of In this month’s column, Keegan Macintosh completes his two transhumanist Jethro Knights and his part series on the virtual currency, Bitcoin, delving into its unwavering quest for immortality via legal status, and exploring some cryonics-specific uses for the science and technology. technology. 26 Tech News We read the news to uncover the most 22 Book Review: The Transhumanist Reader: Classical and promising and exciting developments Contemporary Essays on the Science, Technology, and in science and technology. Philosophy of the Human Future 29 Membership Statistics The Transhumanist Reader, edited by Alcor CEO Max More and How many members, associate Natasha Vita-More, is an ambitious collection of classical and members, and patients does Alcor new writings about human enhancement. Many of the book’s have and where do they live? contributors are cryonics supporters and Alcor members. www.alcor.org Cryonics / November 2013 3 A Non-Profit Organization 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. R. Michael Perry, Ph.D. a cryonics organization, exemplified the determination of the early pioneers of cryonics. We invite you to follow in his footsteps, and Editor join the James Bedford Society. Aschwin de Wolf The James Bedford Society recognizes those who make a bequest of any size to the Alcor Life Extension Contributing Writers Foundation. If you have already provided a gift Aschwin de Wolf for Alcor in your estate, please send a copy of your relevant documents Chana de Wolf to Alcor’s Finance Director, Bonnie Magee. Keegan Macintosh If you’d like to learn more about setting up a bequest, send an email Max More, Ph.D. to [email protected] or call 480-905-1906 x114 to discuss your gift. Mike Perry, Ph.D. Mark Plus Natasha Vita-More Copyright 2013 by Alcor Life Extension Foundation 2013 Annual Giving Program All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or part, without lcor provides a wide array of services for you the member, and the general permission is prohibited. Apublic. We inform and educate, we protect and preserve, and we strive to remain at the forefront of cryonics technology. Cryonics magazine is published monthly. Since its founding, Alcor has relied on member support to maintain its mission and attract new members. Your support, regardless of size, can provide a better To subscribe to the printed edition future for all cryonicists. Please act now. and/or change your address, please call 480.905.1906 x101or visit the magazine SUGGESTED GIVING LEVELS website: www.alcor.org/magazine $20 FRIEND $60 JUNIOR SUpporter Please note: If you change your address less than a month before the magazine is mailed, it may $120 SUstaining SUpporter be sent to your old address. $500 Advocate SUpporter Address correspondence to: Cryonics Magazine $1,000 LEADING SUpporter 7895 East Acoma Drive, Suite 110 Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 $2,500 Visionary SUpporter Phone: 480.905.1906 Toll free: 877.462.5267 $5,000 Silver SUpporter Fax: 480.922.9027 $10,000 GOLD SUpporter Letters to the Editor welcome: $25,000 TitaniUM SUpporter [email protected] $50,000 VANGUARD SUpporter Advertising inquiries: 480.905.1906 x113 We encourage every member to donate. Even if you can only afford $5 right now, [email protected] you will make a significant contribution to Alcor’s future. ISSN: 1054-4305 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 Visit us on the web at www.alcor.org donation may be made as a lump sum or divided into easy monthly payments. Alcor News Blog http://www.alcor.org/blog/ 4 Cryonics / November 2013 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. UltrastrUCTURAL SignatURES OF INFORMatiON-THEORETIC DEath By Aschwin de Wolf n October 11, 2013, the Wall Street just warm ischemia slowed down (and vice cannot accept every case brought to its Journal featured a cover story about versa). attention. Othe unintended consequences of My company Advanced Neural We have now produced electron Norway’s long-time insistence on “plastic Biosciences, Inc. is currently collaborating micrographs of up to 1 month of cold graves” (“Grave Problem: Nothing is with Alcor to produce a series of electron ischemia. When we shared the one month Rotting in the State of Norway”). You micrographs of brain tissue exposed to images with the Alcor Research and see, after World War II the Norwegians very long times of cold ischemia (0 degrees Development committee one member wrapped the dead in plastic prior to burial Celsius). One of the reasons we are doing remarked that he “would not have guessed and now they are faced with…corpses that this project is to bring actual data to the that so much structure could remain after are not decomposing. Since cemetery real decision making process concerning the one month.” When we presented an image estate is scarce in Norway this creates a question when to accept and when no longer from this series at a recent conference, rather complicated and sensitive problem. to accept a patient who has been stored at attendees were also surprised about this One of the solutions is to poke holes in the low temperatures prior to contacting Alcor level of preservation. ground and plastic to inject a lime-based for cryonics arrangements.
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