THIS ISSUE'S FEATURE:

The Molecular epair of the rain, Part II By Ralph Merkle, Ph.D.

Michael Perry, Ph.D. introduces us to "The Realities of Patient Storage" in this issue's For the Record

lUS: Book Reviews, Relocation Reports, and Cryonics Fiction by Linda Dunn and Richard Shock

ISSN 1054-4305 $4.50 "What is Cryonics?" Cryonics is the ultra-low-temperature preservation (biostasis) of terminal patients. The goal of biostasis and the technology of cryonics is the transport of today's terminal patients to a time in the future when cell and tissue repair technology will be available, and restoration to full function and health will be possible, a time when cures will exist for virtually all of today's diseases, including aging.

As human knowledge and medical technology continue to expand in scope, people considered beyond hope of restoration (by today's medical standards) will be restored to health. (This historical trend is very clear.) The coming control over living systems should allow fabrication of new organisms and sub-cell-sized devices for repair and revival of patients waiting in cryonic suspension. The challenge for cryonicists today is to devise techniques that will ensure the patients' survival. Subscribe to CRY 0 ICS Magazine! CRYONICS magazine explores the practical, research, nanotechnology and molecular scientific, and social aspects of ultra­ engineering, book reviews, the physical low temperature pre­ format of memory and personality, the servation of humans. nature of identity, cryonics history, and As the quarterly much more. ·s FEAfURE' • .r h< • • f h THISISSUE oena\f'JI pu bl 1cat1on o t e •Ao\ecu\ar"' ~"h~>~'"''·~··o· C r If you're a first- The IV\ Bg Ra~1 RYfl'J\ Alcor Foundation-the THIS issuE's • ~L vJcs time subscriber, you p\1.\l. world's largest and most "io\lael Per<~· 7!!. M FEAruRE:· can get a full year ~~~ _I sus to ,. introouce . t Storage advanced cryonics or­ !ities oll'atle~ O/ecufar Re . of CRYONICS for '\he Rea in this ·,.sue s a ganization-CRYONICS for tne Recor 0/'~he Bra· 'Pa1r $15 ($20 if you're takes a realistic, real­ In RaiphM!Zt•. Pho overseas), and we'll world approach to the · throw in a free copy of challenge of maintaining (in Cryonics: Reaching For a biologically unchanging Tomorrow, Alcor's book­ state) patients who have length ( 100+ pages!) reached the limitations of one-of-a-kind introduc­ modern medicine. tion to the science of CRYONICS contains cryonics. (See the descrip­ thoughtful, provocative discussions of tion of Reaching For Tomorrow cryonic suspensions performed by Alcor, related on the back inside cover.) To place an order, call Alcor at 602-922-9013 with your VISA/MC, or send your check or m.o. to: ALCOR FOUNDATION • 7895 E. ACOMA OR., #110 • SCOTTSDALE. AZ 85260·6916 See the back inside cover for more information about the Alcor Foundation and Alcor Membership. r Feature Articles "' Long-Time Cryonicist Jerry White Enters Suspension [ 1'1'] Jim Yount and A/cor Life in the Time of the Schism [ 1'2] Stephen Bridge, President The Historical Maturation of the Human Brain [ 1'3] Tom Mackey Thawed Zombie Stalks Own Soul! [ 1'5] Fiction by Richard Shock Determined Not to Lose Our Patients [ 1'6] Ralph Whelan

. The Molecular Repair of the Brain, Part II [ID Ralph Merkle, Ph.D Cool Heads Prevail [31'] Fiction by Linda 1. Dunn olumns ---Departments Notes from the President...... 4 Up Front...... 2 Reviews ...... 33 Stephen W. Bridge For the Record ...... ~················u·········-···--············8 Letters to the Editor ...... 3 Ads and Personals ...... 35 Michael Perry, Ph.D. The Donaldson Persfective ...... 14 Membership Status ..... 32 Meetings ...... 38 Thomas Donaldson, P .D. " ...d Letters and Correspondence CRY ICS Please address all editorial correspondence to: Editor: Ralph Whelan Volume 15:2 ·Issue #162 Editor, CRYONICS April (2nd Quarter), 1994 Alcor Foundation ISSN 1054-4305 t 89 5 E. Acoma Dr., # 11 0 CRYONICS is the Alcor Scottsdale, AZ 85260-6916 Foundation quarterly.

Subscriptions: PHONE: (602) 922-9013 FAX: (602) 922-9021 EMAIL: [email protected] $1 5/year U.S., Canada, and Mexico $20/year all other countries Letters intended for publication should be clearly marked as such. Back issues are $3.50 each. Contents copyright 1994 by the Alcor Life Extension Foundation, Inc., except Most of the first 160 issues-(September, 19H) through where otherwise noted. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed herein are not (December, 1993)-were published on a monthly basis. necessarily those of the Ale or Foundation or its Board of Directors or management. April, 1994 • Cryonics 1 The Door Into Nowhere We're gratefuLto Richard Shock, for sending in thefollowing ex­ cerpt from a Spider Robinson piece in Yoji Kondo's Requiem, and Tributes te the .GrandMaster: "In Ed Regis's recent wonderful Two weeks ago, I tuned into Arizona's NBC-affiliate 1 0:00 news to catch a short piece on book· Great Mambo Chicken and Alcor. This would be the third time we've been featured on this station in the past six months, the Transhuman Condition, there but I hadn't seen the earlier bits, so I was feeling ... urn ... "guardedly optimistic." (I.e., I is an entire chapter on the repeated expected we would be panned.) Boy, was I in for a surprise. efforts of Keith Henson and the We've had a lot of really good press lately, so I was less guarded in my optimism than I Alcor Foundation to get Robert might've been, but what I saw that night still made my jaw drop. It's not just that the piece [Heinlein] to agree to be cryogeni­ was serious and positive throughout (which it was), and it's not just that they made frequent cally frozen. after his death, in references to "this group of scientists" and "the promises of future medical technology." hopes of eventual resurrection. I What blew my mind was what happened after the prepared segment, when they returned to the anchor persons for that wrap-up banter that's supposed to make you feel like these folks was aware oftheeffortwhileitwas like nothing better than hanging out in front of a million people discussing last week's going on: Henson wrote to me, unusual amount of precipitation. Typically, after a cryonics segment, this is when they'll trot entreating me to help him per­ out their "cold shoulder" jokes and the obligatory Walt Disney reference. suade Robert. I politely declined Not this time. Today, Anchor Man turned to Anchor Woman and said, with the utmost to argue with Robert on so per­ sincerity, (roughly:) "So I guess when they only freeze the brain, they're counting on being sonal a matter, but I certainly able to use cell regeneration so they can create a whole new body to go with the brain." Anchor wishedHensonluck: ifanyhuman Woman: "Correct, they're really waiting on futuristic medicine at this point." Anchor Man: I ever knew deserved even an out­ "Wow. Definitely futuristic." Ralph: "Wow. I just swallowed my gum." side chance at living forever; it was I checked with other people. It was not a dream. Robert Heinlein. And I could not Steve Bridge talks more about the fantastic press we've been receiving since our reloca­ help butwonderwhy he had turned tion in his column. Steve also provides a perspective-piece on the rapid changes now occuring in the cryonics community in "Life in the Time of the Schism." For an overview of the Henson and the others down. They past and present status of patient storage technology, don't rent any movies; see "The were willing to waive the usual fee Realities of Patient Storage," this month's For The Record column by Alcor's Patient Care­ for him. Sure, it was a long shot­ taker Dr. Michael Perry. Thomas Donaldson shares with us the reasons why a cryonicist but consider the prize! And what might have a waning interest in science fiction in "The Donaldson Perspective." Tom Mackey did he have to lose? introduces himself with an insightful look at the evolution of humanity's relationship to God i "The day Robert died I was on and Nature, in his short essay "The Historical Maturation of the Human Brain." We have two $e phone with Jim Baen, sharing terrific pieces of cryonics fiction in this issue by Linda I. Dunn and Richard Shock. And of dle grief. At some point I brought course, part two of Dr. Merkle's "The Molecular Repair of the Brain" is not to be missed. die subject ofcryonics up, and said Alcor's move to Scottsdale was not the only thing delaying this issue. Five Alcor Staffers I wished now I'd had the guts to at and Suspension Team Members had to return early from Extropy Institute's Extro 1 confer­ least ask Robert why he'd said no. ence to participate in a cryonic suspension this past weekend. As I write this, Alcor's 28th '"I asked him once,' Jim admit­ patient cools to near the dry ice temperature of-f 9 oc. This suspension began on Saturday, April 30, shortly after the 91-year-old Alcor Member experienced a heart attack in her ted ... SowhenifinallymetHenson New York home. There were several hours of ischemic time while her transfer to the Alcor a few months ago, at a party at his Transport Tearn was coordinated. Still, her perfusion went surprisingly well, with a terminal home, I was able to tell him that I glycerol concentration of about 5 molar achieved. More details will appear in the next knew the answer to the mystery ISSUe. tbat had driven him crazy for so On a related note, we take a moment in this issue to pay our respects to Jerry White, a long. He was all ears ... and then member of the American Cryonics Society who was suspended on February 5, after many when I told him, he stared off into years of activism in the cryonics community. See "Long-Time Cryonicist Jerry White Enters the far distance with a baffled, frus­ Suspension" for a closer look at the life and activities of this pioneer. trated look, and was silent for a Those who've been out to our new facility in Scottsdale now know what a bigger, better longtime. facility can do for an organization's morale and productivity. The new facility looks great, the staff is proud to be working there, and the future looks blindingly bright. Before heading '"How do I know it wouldn't back to Spain for the new tourist season at their hotels, the Comos Family stated that they interfere with rebirth?' is what are very satisfied with Alcor's new building, and that they are prepared to help make it even Robert told Jim ... " more attractive when they return to Scottsdale in the Fall. They are still planning a new cryonics facility just a few blocks from Alcor, though they now do not expect to complete it for three or four years. We're looking forward to assisting them in every way that we can. About the Cover In closing, I'd like to remind our Members that everything listed on page 3 6 of this issue The cover of this issue was designed by can be purchased by Members at a 20% discount. Don't get caught without the intellectual Ralph Whelan, using Aldus Freehand (for ammo you might need to save some lives! the dewar) and Aldus Pagemaker. 2 Cryonics " April, 1994 tial progress in minimizing or eliminating damage between -15 ° C and -60 °C. In any case, solutions to problems 1) and 2), which to my mind are more significant problems, can be developed using already existing technology, and we should there­ l fore attempt to address them first. Klaus Reinhard, Alcor Member Germany

Klaus, Thank you for your thought-provoking Dear Editor, letter. Let me take a moment to address Recently I have heard several sugges­ In case of a political or economic catas­ your three suggestions. tions for research in cryonics, especially trophe, Alcor should be able to preserve 1) The delay after deanimation is indeed a regarding the development of storage ca­ you chemically, enclose you in a time cap­ ver_y serious problem. However, I thinkyou willfind that in relativelyfew cases would pability near -136°C, which would elimi­ sule, and store you in a secure, possibly the long delays after deanimation be re­ nate the cracking problem associated with hidden place. The chemical preservation duced bypulse monitors or "alarm devices. " ultra-low temperature freezing. U nfortu­ could be done using formaldehyde or even To take the example (as you did) o/ Jerry nately, this does not address the problems better using desiccation (see Douglas Leaf: Jerry had a heart attack at home, in cryonics that, in my opinion, are much Skrecky's articles in Canadian Cryonics while his wife (medically trained and the more important, such as: 1) damage caused News and Longevity Report). The time Administrator o/ the local hospital) was by the delay between deanimation and the capsule could be built of stainless steel or present. His wife immediately began CPR, beginning of transport and stabilization; titanium. Alcor has an emergency option in continuing until the paramedics arrived. 2) lack of a back-up strategy for suspension its contracts, but it is not clear whether Aleor was notifiedpromptly, and our Trans­ patients in case low temperature storage Alcor is actually prepared in this manner. port Team was present at the hospital sev­ becomes impossible; 3) freezing damage Ifnot, preparations should be made as soon eral hoursbifore the hospital would release between-15°C and-60°C. as possible, because a catastrophe can come him to us. I think you '!!find that in almost 1) The delay after deanimation is a very with little or no warning. (The First World all cases o/ sudden death, it is the existing serious problem. Warm autolysis begin­ War began suddenly in a relatively golden medico-legal infrastructure that causes the ning immediately after deanimation leads era with increasing wealth and increasing most autolytic damage, and it is ourpublic to the dissolution of important structures freedom for most people.) education efforts that are most likely to in less than two hours (E. Winkelmann: I am signed up for cryonic suspension have a positive impact on that infrastruc­ "Autolytische submikrosckopische Zell­ despite that such preparations have not ture. veranderungen in Cortex cerebelli der been made because my life is very impor­ .2) !fthere was a civilization-ending catas­ weissen Ratte," Journal/ Hirnforschung, tant to me and because it is possible that trophe, and the Alcor patients and staff were not themselves destroyed, we would 1964 ), while freezing damage only causes there will be no major catastrophe. Fur­ have at least two months to pursue the kind displacement and cracking of structures. thermore, there is no organization which o/chemical preservation thatyou describe, This does not mean that all hope is lost after offers chemical preservation, and preser­ were we to decide that this was our optimal a delay, because brain structures are highly vation at ultra-low temperatures seems to path. Still, it's probably true that there is redundant. But autolytic damage will prob­ be a better method in any case. Also, cryonic more we could do to prepare for such an ably be much more difficult to repair than suspension would currently be a more se­ event. I'm sure this will see more attention freezing damage. Many cryonics patients, cure option, anyway, because there are when it moves closer to the top o/ our list o/ evenkeypersons ofthemovementlikeJerry many people who would fight to save a priorities. Leaf and John Erfurt, have experienced cryonic suspension patient, and an un­ 3) While you may be correct that high­ long delays afterdeanimation. Unexpected known few who might fight for a chemi­ temperature (-15° C to -60° C) deteriora­ death happens often. Therefore, it is most cally preserved patient. Nonetheless, the tion causes more information loss than important to develop pulse monitor and risk thattherewill be an economic or politi­ low-temperature cracking, we must also alarm devices and to set up organizational cal catastrophe which makes maintaining consider which types of damage are more structures which can help the patient patients in liquid nitrogen impossible is easilypreventable with our level o/fund­ quickly in case of unexpected death. high enough thatAlcorshould be prepared. ing and expertise. We are certainly go­ 2) Ifyou look at human history, you will 3) Naturally it would be a fine thing ifwe ing to pursue better methods ofprevent­ find that periods of freedom and peace are could freeze patients without damage, but ing the high-temperature damage, rare. At present it seems that most people achieving this (if it is even possible without though that willprobably turn out to be a have learned from history, but the risk of nanotechnology) will require many years long-term (and expensive) project. The major catastrophes in the future remains of expensive research. Cryobiologists say construction ofa -136° C storagefacility seems certain to prevent a substantial high. This is no reason to give up, though. that most damage occurs between -15°C amount cracking, and may be achiev­ and-60°C (Peter Mazur: "FreezingofLiv­ o/ Despite many catastrophes in the past, hu­ able in the near term. man civilization has steadily and constantly ing Cells," American Journal o/ Physiol­ We'll keep you posted on our progress on progressed both technologically and eco­ ogy, Vol 247, 1984 ), and it seems that the these issues as our new research plan· (now nomically. Ifwe project this trend into the damage which occurs below-130 ° C is fairly under construction) takes shape. Thank future, it seems likely that humanity will minor by comparison. For this reason, we you, Klaus, for your perspective on these colonize space and conquer death. Unfor­ should probably not invest too much issues. I encourage other members/readers tunately, this will only help you ifyour brain time and money trying to develop stor­ to share their thoughts on this matter. -Ed. structure survives. age at-136 oc until there has been substan-

April, 1994 • Cryonics 3 Notes from the President New Home, New Life: A/cor Moves to Arizona

Iby Stephen W Bridge I

of 1993, we discovered that building code­ down a $30,000 deposit. mandated changes to the building and At that point the amount of work sud­ grounds might cost us as much as $50,000 denly quadrupled. We had 90 days to form en last we saw our intrepid band to perform. a company to purchase the building, raise f cryonics explorers, they had Combine this with the growing aware­ funds, and investigate the legalities and ormed a company to purchase a ness of the earthquake damage risk in Riv­ practicalities of moving a cryonics com­ building in Scottsdale, Arizona. The build­ erside, which is in an especially vulnerable pany into Arizona. ing was bought, plans were made ... and position near the San Andreas Fault, and Dave Pizer and I formed Cryonics Prop­ then everyone sat and watched while the theanswerwasclear: getoutoftown. Over erty, LLC, a Limited Liability Company brave scouts (Dave Pizer and I) worked on the past couple of years, one of the places (LLC). An LLC is a new kind of Arizona getting the Arizona Department of Health we had looked at most closely was company which combines the advantages Services to approve the permits necessary Scottsdale, Arizona, near Phoenix. The of a corporation and a limited partnership. to bring our suspended patients into Ari­ central valley in Arizona has very low seis­ Several Alcor members and Alcor itself zona. mic risk, and animal research is permitted boughtlnterests(shares)intheLLC. Many Now it's April. The DRS approved our in the Scottsdale Airpark, a high-tech devel­ other Alcor members sent in donations permits, and the pioneer wagons rolled opment in one of the most desirable areas from $10.00 to $10,000 to cover Alcor's east across the desert. The patients have of Maricopa County. Further discussion moving and remodeling expenses. This been in Scottsdale since Febru- fund-raising was more difficult ary 21st, and the staff have been than we had anticipated, because here since March 3rd. All of the it was begun during a period of problems aren't yet solved (are intense disagreement among they ever?), but our direction is many activeAlcor members over positive and we're delighted to a widevarietyofissues. The pur­ be here. chase of this building and the Let's recap some past history possible move to Arizona be­ before getting into new details. came yet two more footballs (I will caution readers new to kicked onto the political field of thesediscussionsthatlegalissues the time. dealing with cryonic suspension To address the potential gov­ patients use terms like "human ernmental/ regulatoryproblems remains," "interment," and in Arizona, Dave and I (often "anatomical gifts." While we with Dr. Mark Voelker, another refer to members in suspension Alcor Director living in Arizona as "patients"-and fully con­ at that time) engaged in a series sider them as such-we cannot of meetings with the Mayor of yet make a legal case for them A/cor :r section ifthe new Scottsdale facility. Scottsdale, Scottsdale Planning being" alive." Therefore we are and Development, the Maricopa constricted to the use of laws dealing with with Scottsdale's Planning and Develop­ County Medical Examiner, and the Arizona anatomical gifts and dead human beings in ment Department resulted in a statement Department of Health Services. The most order to acquire legal custody. We have no from the city that cryonics was also compat­ complicated meetings were with the DRS, choice but to work within this framework ible with the Airpark's I-1 zoning. since it was likelythat most ofourwork with and attempt to use it to the advantage of In June of 1993, Alcor Director and Trea­ patients (especially as Anatomical Dona­ ourselves and our patients.) surer David Pizer (a resident of Phoenix) tions) would fall under the jurisdiction of Alcor' s Board ofDirectors had been look­ brought to the Board's attention a building that Department. ing to moveAlcor out ofthe Riverside facil­ for sale in the Airpark. The building was There were several questions which ity for several years. We had outgrown the 19,800 sq. ft. and about 12yearsold. It was needed to be answered by the DRS. How building not long after moving into it in divided into 11 units, some of which were do we fill out the Death Certificate and 1987 with two full-time staff and with six leased; but some space was available which Disposition Permits for anatomical dona­ patients. By early 1993, we had seven full­ could be used by Alcor. The building was tion and cryonic suspension? Do we have time staff and 27 patients. Additionally, in for sale for $770,000 (a price which later to register as a storage facility? Are late 1992, as part of the Conditional Use turned out to be almost $10.00 a square neuropatients considered "bodies" or (as Permit issued by the City of Riverside, we footless than most other comparable build­ in California) "tissue samples"? The DRS were forced to swallow a "poison pill" of a ings in the area). Alcor's Directors voted to staff, while a bit startled that a cryonics ban on animal research. In the beginning make an offer on the building and to put group was planning on moving to Arizona,

4 Clyomcs • April, 1994 was friendly and helpful and tried very hard to deal with our questions open-mindedly. The first two questions were easily an­ Before . .. After! swered; but the third created some sincere head-scratching. Apparently the Arizona DHS staff (unlike the California version) doesn't ordinarily sit around debating fro­ zen heads over coffee breaks. These issues were finally solved, but one administrative regulation dealingwith dead bodies was brought to our attention by Gregg Jacquin, Associate Director for the DHS: "A body kept in a private or public vault, including a receiving vault, longer than 15 days shall be placed in an airtight casket or other container." This was poten­ tially a big problem, since liquid nitrogen is constantly evaporating and CANNOT be kept sealed up. Of course, we pointed out that we did not use a "vault" under the meaning of this regulation and that such a regulation did not appear to be applied to other anatomical donations in the state. For instance, the medical students at the University of Arizona College of Medicine were certainly not performing cadaver dis­ sections while locked inside an "airtight container." We also explained to Mr. my morning shower) that if this regulation At some point in January, the DRS con­ Jacquin that tissue kept in liquid nitrogen were applied to anatomical donations, it ceded that the sealed container regulation did not pose a public health threat. would make it impossible for anyone in was no longer an issue, and the last remain­ We thought the problem had been taken Arizona to donate their entire bodies for ing problems lay in properly handling the care of, so we proceeded on with plans. In medical or scientific research. Little re­ transit permits from California to Arizona. September, 1993, Cryonics Property, LLC search could be performed in 15 days, and One end of that had been solved in Califor­ closed on the building. Three days later we none could be performed in a sealed con­ nia with an immense amount of sudden received a letter from Mr. Jacquin stating tainer. However, Arizona law was quite cooperation from ... the California Depart­ that this issue had NOT been resolved. explicit (in two separate laws) that resi­ ment of Health Services? Yes, that's right. Hastily, we hired Phoenix attorney Ron dents ofArizona do have the right to donate Now that we were leaving, they wanted Carmichael (a fortuitous find for us, since their remains to science and otherwise have those Disinterment and Transit forms to be he knew a lot of the" right" people, had the the right to dictate the disposition of their processed as rapidly as possible. It took right attitude, and liked us, to boot) and "human remains." Enforcing the "sealed Alcor more than five years to get a regis­ arranged an early November meeting with container" regulation would mean that an tered death certificate and disposition per­ Mr. Jacquin and his staff, plus Terri administrative regulation was taking pre­ mit on Richard Clair Jones, yet I got the Skladany of the Attorney General's Office. cedent over a legislative statute. Clearly disinterment/ transit permit in about five The meeting did not go particularly well. that is not the way laws operate. minutes. Admittedly, part ofthis was due to Mr. Jacquin insisted that this regulation We made this case in letters to the Fu­ a new attorney at the State DRS, who actu­ applied to ALL bodies in Arizona, whether neral Board and the DRS. The Funeral ally appeared to be a "public servant," and anatomical donations or not, and stated he Board was concerned primarily with our to new, friendly (even interested) staff at was still concerned (in the face of all scien­ relationships with morticians and did not the Riverside County Health Department. tific evidence) that human tissue stored in have any interest in regulating us. How­ Once that end was solved, our attorney liquid nitrogen posed a potential public ever, we had some good fortune when Julie was able to point out the various legal rea­ health hazard. Ms. Skladany also expressed Tolleson, another Assistant Attorney Gen­ sons why the State of Arizona should then her concerns that the regulations be prop­ eral at the Funeral Board meeting, became issue the transit permits from their end. erly followed. We invited Mr. Jacquin and interested in our case. In conversations Since the outcome was looking pretty sure anyotherstafforexperts he wished to bring with Ron Carmichael and me, she agreed now, we sentTanyaJones and Scott Herman to visit us in Riverside and see our opera­ with our position on regulation vs. statute over to Scottsdale to begin painting and tion first hand; but he declined. and agreed to look into it further. remodeling so the buildingwould be ready This put us in a bit of a quandary. We From then on, cooperation grew steadily for our arrival. Mter another couple of didn't know what the next step was. Mr. better on this issue. We don't know the weeks of holding our breath (complicated Jacquin shortly let us know that he was entire story of what discussions went on in by some sudden unrelated legislative prob­ asking the Arizona State Board of Funeral private; but we do know our attorney spent lems in the DRS that side-tracked them), Directors and Embalmers to investigate the a lot of hours on the phone explaining our the transit forms were in our hand. A few situation for possible regulation. We took position to as many government officials as days later, on February 21, 1994, the pa­ a deep breath and gave out a long collective would listen. As the pressure on me from tients made their trip to Scottsdale. (See sigh-another agency to meet with and Alcor's Directors began to mount ("Come Ralph Whelan's article elsewhere in this explain cryonics. Was there no end to this? on, Steve. Haven't you gotten them to an­ issue for details on the physical aspects of Fortunately, about this time it dawned swer you yet?"), it still appeared to me that the move.) on us (literally dawned on me while taking our point was finally getting across. We then spent two frantic weeks packing

April, 1994 • Cryonics 5 for the move ofthe operating room, offices, ing up the old building. lease a small room in that unit for contin­ and personal items of Mike Perry, Joe Setting up the operating room had been ued storage, and Hugh Hixon and Joe Hovey and Hugh Hixon. It is amazing how first priority, of course, and we were only Hovey will lease another small area for much stuff (that is the only word to de­ down for less than 48 hours. Even then we personal storage instead of getting mini­ scribe the variety) can be crowded into one had the capability to perform a patient sta­ warehouses. building and two mini-warehouses. It is bilization, transport, and beginning stages The other major problem that occurred also amazing how much of it should have of a suspension with our ambulance and early in the move was a "problem" that we been thrown away years ago. (Anyone in­ remote transport kit. have begged for in the past and could rarely clined to sneer should first examine their We were extremely fortunate in finding get: immense media interest. In the weeks own possessions next time they move.) Of a solution to one huge problem we had before we moved from Riverside, the San course, Ralph, Tanya, Derek Ryan, and completely failed to see: what do you do Diego UnionandtheLosAngeles Tz'meshad myself also had to find a few dozen hours at with three truckloads of equipment, desks, been preparing major articles onAlcor and our homes to pack up our household items. boxes, refrigerators, etc. while you're de­ cryonics. They added material about the (Scott had already brought most of his per­ cidingwhereto place everything. The truck­ move and sent reports out over the Associ­ sonal items to Scottsdale while helping to ers have to have the truck unpacked as rap­ ated Press wire. As a matter of fact, I read prepare our new space for occupancy.) idly as possible, and it would have been the LA Times article at breakfast on my way The two truck loads of administrative chaotic to simply fill all available space in out of Riverside on March 3rd. And of items and one truck load of our personal the new units with boxes and equipment. course the Phoenix-Scottsdale media had possessions finally arrived in Scottsdale the Leaving everything out in the parking lot been primed for the move for months. first week in March, along with several for two weeks didn't look like much of an Since we arrived, the phone hasn't pretty exhausted Alcor employees and vol­ option. stopped ringing. Television, radio, news­ unteers. Even at that we hadn't quite got­ Happily for us, the imported beer dis­ papers, magazines: everyone wanted the ten everything, and we had been one per­ tributor next door was at the low point of scoop on "Frozen Patients on Wheels." son short for driving vehicles. Hugh drove their cycle for stock (and probably had too Fairly rapidly I arranged for print inter­ the ambulance to Arizona and left his own much space leased to begin with), and they views with the Scottsdale Progress-Tribune, vehicle at the airport. So a few days later we had the unit closest to us (#108) entirely theArizonaRepublic, and thePhoenixBusi­ sent Hugh and Scott back to Riverside one empty. Alcor leased unit 108 for a staging ness Journal. Since the building's interior last time to get Hugh's vehicle, empty area and the crisis was averted. It appears didn't exactly look snappy and professional Hugh's mini-warehouse, and finish clean- likely that for the time being Alcor will yet, I put off the television stations as long as I could. Finally, I allowed two local television stations in for stories, both of Cryonics patient prepares for the future which were prominently featured on the How a patient's body (at a cost of $120,000) or head ($50,000) is frozen and stored until medical technology can repair the body evening news and which were completely and revive the patient, or grow a new body for the patient. positive. I made one station, whose crew just showed up at the door our first day ·•®ttMii'Gm6U4·*@tlli!IG$1 here, go to the bottom of the list; but when On way to Alcor in Arizona, blood circulation is maintained and patient is injected with they finally did our story, it was even more medicine to minimize problems with frozen upbeat than that ofthe other stations. Other tissue. Cooling of body begun. (If body needs to be flown, blood is replaced with prominent print media included Tempo organ preservatives.) magazine of Germany, Yes magazine from England, the New York Tz'mes, the Chicago Tribune, the Indianapolis Star (my resi­ dence for 18 years), and ... (trumpets blare, please) US.A. Today. Head is then severed Ralph, Derek, and I did about 28 inter­ between 6th and 7th views the firstmonthwewere here, and just Chest opened, blood is replaced with - -. -:;-.- -\- vertebrae, or body is solution (glycerol, water, other chemicals) 1_ '· > ;.. · · _ left whole. as things started to ease off a bit, on April that enters the tissues, pushing out water 6th the US.A. Today article came out. They to reduce ice formation. In 2-4 hours, 60% or more of body water replaced by glycerol. call themselves the nation's newspaper, and they must be so, for radio stations at least. ··~*dtn!OJ·'*'·GittmM All of a sudden the phones went crazy again Patient placed in cold silicone oil, chilling body to with requests for live radio interviews and -79°C. Then moved to aluminum pod and slowly cooled over 5 days in liquid nitrogen to -196°C talk shows. We did interviews in Chicago, (minus-320 degrees Fahrenheit), then stor~.Q; Florida, San Antonio, Palm Springs, St. - ·•······· ~, Louis, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Connecticut, Seattle, Detroit, and a bunch of others I've forgotten. Most ~t:rgmct;Jttmt!IOM®fil prominently, we were on "Canadian World Body: Many feel that needed bodily repairs will Tonight" with Phillip Till and Mutual be easily made before resuscitation. Many also Network's "Jim Bohannon Show." feel that people in the future would be more apt to revive a whole body. Amazingly, with the exception of some Head: Cost aside, many people feel the brain is insensitive sarcasm on the part of the LA the most important part of a person, and that only !F--­ it should be saved. In addition, many feel their Times and one couple of idiot morning damaged bodies would be more easily replaced "comedians" in San Bernadino (who didn't than repaired in the future. even bother to talk to us), the press cover­ By Suzy Parker, USA TODAY age was completely positive andfriendly. USA Today ran a terrijlc article on April6, with the above impressively accurate graphic. This was exceptionally true here in Ari-

6 Cryonics • April, 1994 Waiting for the thaw of life: Frozen bodies get new home

By Bob Golfen The Arizona Republic Twenty-seven frozen time travelers arrived in the Valley last week, forsaking disaster­ Cryonics is an ambulance to take a prone southern California for the relative patient to a doctor'' 100 years in the stability of north Scottsdale. The front offices of the Alcor Life future. Extension Foundation, in a small business STEVE BRIDGE The Arizon~ Republic continues to supply Arizona citizens with upbeat, professional articles about Alcor and crgonics. zona, but was scarcely diminished else­ "weird"), "future-oriented" (instead of comparatively friendly relations. where. I have been involved in cryonics "sci-fi"), and "a positive choice" (instead Most of you will want to know how the since 1977, when most press coverage (if of"desperate" or "a scam"). money worked out. We raised just about you could get a writer or editor to write Our reactions from Arizona businesses enough money for our initial moving and some space filler) and most audience reac­ and government have also been positive. remodeling plans. Unfortunately part of tion at talks (if anyone came at all) was When my new auto insurance agent came that money is still in donated shares of "Look at these weirdos!" Beginning in by to set up my policy, she was very friendly Symbex Property Group (the company 1986 with the publication of Engines of and excited to meet us. She said that she which owns the Riverside Building), which Creation (K. Eric Drexler, Anchor­ would "really have some status with my can't become liquid until the building is Doubleday), we noticed a significant change kids now." This attitude seems to prevail sold. Our cash flow for finishing some tasks in the seriousness with which people took with most visitors, even the ones that don't has become tight, and we would still wel­ this idea. The initial bad press surrounding know they are coming to a cryonics facility. come donations toward making this build­ the Dora Kent case in early 1988 slowly Quite a number of students have already ing the best we can. changed to positive stories about the brave been in for tours, and we have spoken to In future issues of the magazine we will individualists battling the government, a two "Death and Dying" classes and a re­ begin listing plans we are developing and change that became more marked in the tired adults club at a local community cen­ enacting for improvements in suspension reporting of Thomas Donaldson's court ter. patient security, laboratory and operating battle to preserve his brain in 1990. This week we also had a tour for repre­ room equipment, and transport capability. But it seems that even more has changed sentatives ofthe Department ofHealth Ser­ This week we have also begun taking the today. The attitude ofmost of the reporters vices, the Attorney General's Office, and first steps toward developing a new research and interviewers this year seems to be: the head of the Committee on Health Care plan and plans for suspension team train­ "There are lot of amazing developments in of the Arizona House ofRepresentatives. It ing. Please let us know if any of these areas science and medicine today. Here are some is clear we will continue to deal with these interest you. We will be needing advice, people banking on those developments to agencies and individuals in the future, and volunteers, and funding for each of them. change the way we look at death." Yes, a lot I think we are off to a very positive start. It Finally, most of you have previously re­ of the writers actually get the point of is likely that some kind of cryonics regula­ ceived an invitation to our first Scottsdale cryonics! Those ofyou who are newcomers tions may be put in place here in the next Open House on May 7th. This issue of to the field or who have not dealt with the year or two; but we look on this as poten­ Crgonics will reach you after that date; but press over the years may not fully appreci­ tially positive. We are getting the opportu­ we will plan other opportunities to visit in ate what a massive change this represents. nity to influence those regulations in an the months ahead. The next Open House I'm not saying this means thousands of active manner, and regulation in itself can will be Friday night, June lOth, from 5:00- people will rush to sign up next month. But provide a type of acceptance or 9:00p.m., in conjunction with the Venturist positive reporting from a large number of legitimization. These are perhaps scary Weekend gathering. writers provides a start for more positive words to our more libertarian members Now we've parked our wagons, put up reporting from the next wave. An increas­ and readers; but states WILL eventually the new home, and settled in. We're proud ing number of people out of there will be regulate cryonics. That'swhatstatesDO. It of our new home and would love to show it getting the unconscious message that could be to our advantage to have the first off to you. Hope to see you soon. cryonics is "interesting" (instead of regulations here where we are building Cryonics gets settl in Usdale By Mark J. Scarp Scottsdale Progress Tribune Ten human bodies hang upside nown in larQ:e freezers. but to the peo­ Even the Scottsdale Progress Tribune (which was initially sardonic in its reporting) has evolved a more positive outlook

April, 1994 • Cryonics 7 For tl1e Record ...

The Realities of Patient Storage

I by Michael Perry, Ph.D. I

sible position has been the prevailingview­ and Olszewski. Around 1892 the British point in the cryonics movement since be­ chemist and physicist Sir James Dewar cre­ fore the first person was frozen. Storage ated the first of the double-walled, evacu­ vessels and associated technologythus have ated flasks which bear his name, and which ryonics, in addressing through been under consideration and in use for have proved so handy in containing cold technolgy the ages-old problem of some three decades. On the other hand, materials. Commercial development of air C death, acquires some problems all cryonics is a very small movement and re­ liquefaction products (including nitrogen) its own. Prominent among them is the fact sources have been limited. It will not be a is traced to a plant in Germany started in that frozen patients must be stored for a surprise, then, that the innovations con­ 1895 by C. Linde.2,3,4 very long time, safely, and as economically tributed by cryonicists to low-temperature The exciting scientific quest that, one by as possible. An early, simplistic proposal storage have not been the flashier sort. In one, reduced the "permanent gases" to would have made the task relatively easy, fact, roughly the same basic vacuum-insu­ unheard ofliquids and solids, and the tech­ namely, burial in permafrost!. Essen­ lated container has been used all along. nical and commercial progress that, among tially, there would be no maintenance, Still, developments have occurred that I other things, made cryonics possible, are and a "cryonics storage facility" would think will be of interest. Along with these, stories well worth telling, but will have to be mostly a record-keeping center! U nfor­ I'd like to report on the related topic of wait for now. Instead we focus on matters tunately, however, reality didn't cooper­ patient transfers (from older to newer of more direct concern to cryonics. ate: the polar regions of the earth just units). In one form or another, the dewar has aren't cold enough. A few are frozen in First, a little prehistory. Much of it has to been used to store cryonics patients since permafrost today anyway, and there has do with the liquefaction of gases, an obvi­ the first freezings in the '60s. Its use seems been talk of combining this technique with ous prerequisite to a cryonics operation. destined to continue, at least for several some form of chemical fixation to guaran­ Most of the basic work was done in the years and quite possibly much longer. Some tee adequate preservation. However, until nineteenth century. Air (about 80% nitro­ highlights ofthis usage, and the philosophy more is known and developed, storage in gen) was first liquefied in 1877 by Louis behind it, can be briefly recounted. liquid nitrogen must remain the method of Cailletet. Nitrogen was first liquefied in A short primer on human cryogenic stor­ choice for long-term preservation. This sen- 1885 by the Polish chemists Wroblewski age by Ev CooperS (May 1967) reads, in part: "The most general prin­ A little more should be said about Sir James' ciples of liquid nitro­ famous container, since it is so basic to patient gen storage are quite storage. The need for such a vessel will be clear simple. The job is merely enough if you ever find yourself handling liquid to keep enough liquid ni­ nitrogen. Put some of the clear, cold fluid in an trogen (-195°C) in suffi­ ordinary cup and it will very quickly boil away­ ciently close proximity to and may crack your cup in two! Use of a metal cup the object to be stored. or bucket will eliminate the cracking, but the in­ Any heat picked up by the tense cold may cause leaks to develop around liquid ... excites some of seams, and you will still have the rapid boiloff re­ [its] molecules .... If the gardless. Clearly something more sophisticated is excitement ... is sufficient needed. The dewar or "thermos" is basically two they excape from the liq­ airtight containers, an inner vessel with a closely­ uid taking heat with them. fitting outer shell that nowhere touches it-except A person could remain fro­ at the neck or opening at the top, where the two containers are bonded together. The empty space zen in a sufficiently large between the containers is evacuated, which greatly reduces the heat flow from outside to inside (or vice open bowl if enough liq­ versa, in the case, say, of a thermos bottle with hot coffee inside). By and large, the heat must flow up the uid nitrogen was kept in wall of the outer container, over the neck, and down inside-a roundabout pathway that offers a great supply. Liquid nitrogen is obstacle even if the two shells are made of highly conductive materal such as metal. Smaller dewars such chosen as a refrigerant as as the lunch box thermos are made of aluminized glass for ease of fabrication; for similar reasons, larger it is the least expensive, containers used for biological samples or to store liquefied gases in bulk are generally of welded safe manner of obtaining stainless steel, aluminum, or copper. (The evacuated space in these larger vessels also has layers of extreme low tempera­ aluminized mylar or similar materials to further reduce heat flow.) tures .... "

8 Cryomcs • April, 1994 The report goes on to discuss con­ struction of vessels for practical stor­ VfNT TI.I~E age: "Ifwe wish to improve the efficiency of our simple system of the object in a bowl of liquid nitrogen, we then insulate the walls of the bowl and bring them upward and over the ob­ ject to be kept cold. But we always leave an opening for the evaporating liquid nitrogen so the heat can es­ cape. One of the best ways of insulat­ ing the walls of our container is to arrange a vacuum within the walls .... To increase the efficiency further, many layers ofreflective foil between very thin layers ofplastic or glass mat are placed within the vacuum to stop any radiant heat from getting in .... " At the time only one person had been frozen under controlled condi­ tions. This was James Bedford, who entered cryonic suspension Jan. 12, VllCIJUf'1 1967. There had also been a freezing the previous April. (The patient had FREEZE-WAIT-REANIMATE 5/67: previously spent weeks in a mortuary Early, horizontal cryonic storage container, sketched by Ernest Fiore. however, so the biological viability was very doubtful.) In both cases cylindri­ again. This in turn was getting more diffi­ assembled, in this bath of cold liquid, cal, horizontal, metal capsules were used, cult, apparently because of the buildup of around the good Doctor, now strapped in­ manufactured by Cryocare Equipment Cor­ oxidation products inside, which continu­ side, in an extra sleeping bag for good mea­ poration in Phoenix, Arizona. In the sec­ ally released small amounts of gas and pre­ sure. (The pod was held together with riv­ ond (Bedford) capsule the patient was vented the desired hardening. (To elimi­ ets, which could be applied with a rivet gun welded inside the inner container, which nate this problem would have required heat­ at low temperature.) An overhead crane further reduced nitrogen boiloff. In fact ing, which was ruled out because the pa­ then quickly hoisted our patient up and the capsule performed very well, only re­ tient inside could not be easily removed then down into his new home, a nine-foot, quiring a refill every 7 months. (I twas actu­ and had to stay at liquid nitrogen tempera­ upright, cylindrical "Bigfoot" dewar de­ ally filled at intervals of about three ture.) I remember a pump running con­ signed for four whole bodies. months.) The drawback was that the evacu­ tinuous/yon this container for a year, some­ Patient transfers, a little less laborious ated space was inadequately sealed so the time before the dewar was finally retired. than this but still a workout (we could do vacuum had to be periodically "hardened" This in turn was a dicey operation, carried about one per hour), were also needed to by pumping (a valve being provided for the out May 25, 1991. Like Bedford's original retire some of our older, upright contain­ purpose). 6 Horizontal capsules would con­ capsule, this one was welded shut and had ers. In a typical case we would lift the pa­ tinue in use for several years. Meanwhile, to be cut open-while it still had some tient out of one container, in a sleeping bag in 1969 a new, upright design was put in liquid inside. On opening at one end we tied to a stretcher, place them in the liquid service for the suspension of Ann Deblasio found Dr. Bedford inside on a stretcher, nitrogen vat, cut them free of the stretcher, by the Cryonics Society of New assemble a pod with them strapped York. This proved more practi­ aln 1969 a new, upright design was put in and seal it up, then hoist the cal than the earlier models, pod up, and down again, into a which in turn almost ceased in service for the suspension ifAnn Deblasio waiting Bigfoot. (The Bigfoot to be used after 1981. (U n­ would have to be rapidly posi­ fortunately, most ofthe early by the Cryonics Society if New York. This tioned under the pendant pa­ suspensions had also termi- tient by several strong backs, nated by then.) The lone ex­ proved more practical than the earlier mod­ for the lowering operation. ception was the Bedford cap- Typically a patient spent only sule (a newer model, but still els) which in turn almost ceased to be used about 90 seconds out of liq­ horizontal, manufactured in cifter 1 9 8 1 . The lone exception was the uid during this operation, 1970 by Galiso of Fullerton, with the head ina "neurocan" California). This durable ves- Bec!JOrd capsule. This durable vessel would full ofliquid.) sel would remain in service for I realize this history is a little 21 years, a record. remain in servicefor 2 I years) a record. " haphazard; some of the more By 1991, however, Bedford's old recent events I witnessed directly, housing, now stored at Alcor' s recent loca­ which however, could not be removed so while for the earlier ones I've relied on old tion in Riverside, was overdue for replace­ he had to be cut loose. He was lifted out­ newsletters and the like. In between I think ment. The cumbersome, sprawling, con­ wrapped in a sleeping bag it turned out­ there were long stretches when not much tainer occupied too much floor space. and quickly placed in a large, open foam was happening, at least in the areas of pa­ Worse, its vacuum had repeatedly softened box filled with liquid nitrogen. Sometime tient storage. However there are some fur­ over the years and had to be hardened later we had an aluminum box or "pod" ther items that deserve mention. Patients

April, 1994 • Cryonics 9 (whole-body that is) are generally now tainers are for whole bodies. The ones for vessel is about 14liters per day, or less than stored head-down, so their heads (the most neuros or heads only are, as expected, scaled 1% (and this with the container nearly full, important part, of course) will stay covered down versions of their whole-body cousins which increases the boiloff rate). in liquid nitrogen in event of a long (say about 4 feet in height). Neuros are I understand CI's alternative technol- interruprion in supply, as might happen in easier to store and consequently, I think, ogy also achieves a low boiloff rate, and has civil unrest or natural disasters. (In the advantage of being manufac­ the early days they were stored up- tured in-house, at a lower cost. (In right.) Some years ago, in 1989, I the case of the Bigfoot, which re- visited the Cryonics Institute's fa­ quires a skilled, professional weld­ cility in Oak Park, Michigan. They ingjob, one manufacturer became had an interesting alternative to squeamish about cryonics and an­ the upright, steel capsules I'd seen other had to be found.) It is recog­ at other facilities. Their contain­ nized, meanwhile, that the best ers were not of metal, but epoxy, storage technology available today reinforced with fiberglass. Not is still not what one would like. A horizontal, not vertical either, but much larger unit or "cold room" canted at about a 45-degree angle, would offer economies ofscale and supported in massive wooden perhaps could help hold down cost frames. Patients (one or two to a if cryonics becomes widespread. cylindrical container, I believe) are This however, is mostly in the sealed inside, much as with the old dreaming stage still, and we must horizontal steel capsules, but with make do with a multiplicity ofunits epoxy, which takes about 24 hours designed for a few patients each. to harden. (They are of course maintained in liquid nitrogen dur­ ing this time, which however does REFERENCES not touch the glued-on lid.) The vessels are insulated with a softer 1. Duhring, N. (E. Cooper). Im­ vacuum than your typical metal mortality: physicallg, scientifi­ container and the evacuated space callg, now. Society for Venturism is filled with perlite. I understand (1991 repr. 1962 ed., 20th. C. CI now has larger, rectangular up­ Books) 14. right units of the same basic con­ 2. "Liquefaction of gases," struction in use, that can store four Encyclopadia Britannica ( 1948) or more patients each. 14, 173. I also visited Trans Time's facil­ 3. "Liquid air," op. cit., 14, 190. ity in Berkeley, California, around 4. "Dewar, James," op.cit., 7,295. 1989. They had a rather varied as­ Removing Dr. Bedfordfrom his horizontal capsule 5. Cooper, E. Freeze-Wait-Ream·­ sortment of upright, cylindrical mate (May 1967) 5. metal containers, including one behemoth not as much effort has gone into trying to 6. Perry, M. "For the record," Cryonics 14 ("King Kong") able to hold ten whole bod­ find just the right container for them. I (7 /8) 7 (1993). ies. I should mention too that not all con- should mention, however, the concrete vaults encasing the neuro containers at Alcor, which have yet to be matched in whole body storage. Alcor's Bigfoots are actually for neuros too, being designed to hold several in a central well along with the whole bodies. (More ambitious plans call for dedicating an entireBigfoot to neuros when the patient population is large enough.) Alcor' s Bigfoot design, which is be­ ing" cloned" elsewhere, is ar­ guably the most advanced to date for the purpose it serves. The dewar can be opened without cutting, through a large foam-lined lid on top. An attached fill line makes it convenient to replenish liq­ uid nitrogen, without open­ ing the container. Boiloff of Mike Perry, with Bedford'sfirst capsule the approximately 1800-liter The current state-if-the-art

10 Cryonics • April, 1994 Long-Time Cryonicist Jerry White Enters Suspension First Life Cycle: October 31, 19 38 -February 5, 19 94 / by Jim Yount and Acor

OnFebruary5,long-timecryonicistJerry Information Systems in San Francisco; the read German, Spanish, French, Greek, White, age 55, was pronounced dead and U niversityofNew Mexico,Albequerque; and Latin, Hebrew, Yiddish, and Modern was suspended. Jerry (Jerome B.) had the General Programmed Teaching Corpo­ Mongolian. He was a student of compara­ been ill for many months with complica­ ration. tive languages and language origins. tions from the AIDS virus. From August 1957 through August 1959 J errywas an active memberofthe Liber­ Jerry is one of the founders of the Mr. White was in theNavy, where he served tarian party and a staunch advocate of American Cryonics Society (ACS) and in the combat-information center as watch- personal freedom. He was also active in served in various capacities as an officer the Gay Rights movement and AIDS and Governor or committee member for casuses. He did a number of newspaper mostofACS' history. Mr. White was also interviews wherein he discussed his dis­ one of the founders of Trans Time, Inc., ease and his cryonic suspension arrange­ and served on the Trans Time Board for ments. manyyears. He was frequently a guest on Jerry was the author of numerous pa­ television and radio talk shows promot­ pers/ presentations, including "Heat ing cryonics as well as speaking to college Flow in the Human Patient," "Varieties of and high school students and to clubs Deathism," "Syneidetics and the Sym­ suchastheRotaryClubandMensa(Jerry bolic Logic of Psychology and Cogni­ was a Mensa member). tion," "Whitehead's Philosophy of Pro­ Jerry received a B.A. in Philosophy in cess," "Cryonics and Syneidetics," "The 1966 from the U niversityofNew Mexico, Technology of Cryonics," and "Virus-In­ Albequerque, NM. He continued his duced Repair of Damaged Neurons with education at the University of California Preservation of Long-Term Information at Berkeley where he studied Computer Content." Science and Education. Jerry was espe­ Although Jerry was not an Alcor Mem­ cially interested in the Psychology of ber, he was known and very well-liked by Learning, programmed learning, and many ofus, and is a first-rate human being computer-aided learning. byeveryaccount. Wesharethegriefofhis From 1983 through 1992 Jerry was a friends and loved ones, as well as their lead designer for Sterling Federal Sys­ fervent hope that his passing is a tempo­ tems, Inc., ofPaloAlto, California(Ster­ section supervisor (radar) and as master-at­ rary one. ling Software), a contractor to NASA arms. He was honorably discharged with a Jerry was suspended for ACS by Ames. While at Sterling, Jerry worked Captain's commendation. Biopreservation. His suspension appears on a variety of NASA projects including Like many other cryonicists, Jerry had a to have gone well, with cardiopulmonary helping develop a computer program to wide range of interests. He was a Lincoln support beginning right away, and total­ analyze the atmosphere of Mars, and a scholar and collected over 500 books on body washout initiated within an hour­ variety of programs connected with the President Lincoln. (This collection has been and-a-half of pronouncement. design of tilt-wing aircraft. He also given to ACS.) Jerry taught himself to read Good luck and a safe journey to you, worked for the University of California, and speak Russian in elementary school. In Jerry. College ofNatural Resources; Honeywell addition to Russian, Jerry spoke and/ or

April, 1994 • Clyorlics 11 LIFE IN THE TIME OF THE SCHISM: Some former A/cor members seek greener grass. By Steve Bridge, President

AB I've written in these pages several ally hear something that puts an Alcor spin sionals be on hand-should you need them. times before, cryonicists are rugged (or on a story. This disturbing turn of events makes it all perhaps "dogged") individualists, believ­ As you consider your options as an Alcor the more important that you waste no time ing their own point of view to be right and member, or for those of you who are con­ in callingyour insurance companyto change those who disagree with them to be liars, sidering which organization to join, you'll your beneficiary!" maniacs, or fools. From my advanced posi­ be reading and hearing many claims of The implication here is that Alcor's tion of age and experience, I can see (be­ greatness, competence, and scrupulous in­ Board of Directors approved the Transfer cause I'm really the one who is right) that it tegrity pitted against hints of incompetence, Agreements and then sneakily changed is truly amazing more cryonics groups have falsehood, and naivete. Attempts to make their minds. Further, I have had telephone not been started. It appears that death is one's own side look good and the other side calls from people who have heard rumors such an implacable enemy that even these look incompetent are normal as humans that Alcor's Board are holding members individualists will give up some indepen­ compete; but we ask that you take the time "hostage" by refusing to allowthem to trans­ dence (some) to try and win. to talk to people on both sides before mak­ fer to CryoCare. Yet once in a while in cryonics-as in ing up your mind. The truth is that Alcor's Board of Direc­ most movements where the participants In the past two years, I've heard some tors had not known of the existence of the feel strongly about the importance of the pretty horrible things said about leaders Transfer Agreement form before I signed goals-the emotions, methods, and prin­ on both sides, most of which were shaded the first seven. Charles Platt, Brenda Pe­ ciples are so different that a split must oc­ from the truth far enough that the truth ters, and I discussed the arrangement via cur. Such a split in the Cryonics Society of could not be seen. You're sure to hear phone and e-mail and wrote what we California in 1972led to the formation of more. Most of the individuals who will thought was a fair way to handle member Alcor. A split in the American Cryonics state their opinions will give you the im­ switches. I concluded this was within my Society several years ago led to the forma­ pression (or even boldly state) that their area of responsibility and that there was no tion of the International Cryonics Founda­ interpretation is completely factual, objec­ reason to drag in Alcor's Board for pro­ tion and to an end to cooperation between tive, and the only possible way oflooking at tracted nit-picking on the document. This ACS and its former suspension services the situation. (Important life lesson: when turned out to be a poor assumption on my provider, Trans Time. you meet someone who insists he or she is part. The other Directors, when they read And in the past few months another such completely objective about anything, keep the Transfer Agreement, pointed out sev­ event has occurred, when several Alcor one hand on your wallet and the other on eral major problems. members and former Alcor members the salt shaker. You're dealing with some­ First, we do not "own" the Member and formed the nonprofit CryoCare Founda­ one who is trying to con you-or success­ cannot "transfer" responsibility. An indi­ tion. CryoCare's President is Brenda Pe­ fully conning himself.) vidual quits one organization and joins an­ ters, who was one of Alcor's Directors for Alcor has tried hard to stay away from other. Second, the agreement, in the case several years. CryoCare has contracted the arguments and accusations during the that CryoCare would suspend a member with other organizations for services, in­ past few months; but there is one recent but Alcor was incorrectly sent the insur­ cluding Biopreservation, Inc. (Michael letter that requires some explanation. ance payment-or vice versa-would re­ Darwin's for-profit suspension company) Brenda Peters recently sent a letter to some­ quire one organization to write a check to and CryoSpan, Inc. (a for-profit company where in the neighborhood of 100 Alcor the other. Alcor' s Directors did not believe which provides long-term patient care). members, with various promotional infor­ it was proper for Alcorto be in a position of CryoSpan has been run by Paul W akfer for mation on CryoCare, but which also in­ accepting funds that did not belong to us, the first few months of its existence; but Mr. cludes a paragraph critical ofAlcor' s Board and thatAlcor should simply send the check W akferwill be resigning from that position of Directors. Since we do not know which back to the insurance company. Actually, a in the near future. Other activists in these individuals received this letter or which more likely scenario than accidental pay­ groups include Saul Kent, Steven Harris, might receive it in the future, I think it is ment is that the suspending organization Charles Platt, and Billy Seidel. We don't important to issue a correction in Cryonics isn't yet listed as beneficiary, and so re­ know how many Alcor members eventually magazine, as part of this article. quests the beneficiary organization to file will switch to CryoCare; but as of this writ­ Ms. Peters says, "Those ofyou withAlcor the death claim and pass the money along. ing, we have received notice from about 40 were happy to hearthatAlcor and CryoCare It was the concern of some Directors that members that they have switched or intend had settled upon a "transfer agreement" Alcor should not be placed in a position of to switch. insuring cryonics coverage until your in­ some financial and legal responsibility for During the past several months, Brenda surance or other financial arrangements a suspension where we could not know the Peters has organized an intense promo­ were officially in CryoCare's name. Many details ofdeanimation, transport, and care. tional campaign directed at current Alcor weeks have passed and great time and ex­ And frankly, in the competitive situation members, for the purpose of-and there is pense have been incurred to implement that existed, several Directors wondered no way to say this any more politely-raid­ this plan, therefore we are sorry to report why I appeared to be making it easier for ing Alcor to build the new organization. an unfortunate development. Even though CryoCare to "steal" Alcor's members. Ms. Peters and otherCryoCare activists are Alcor's President, Steve Bridge has signed Straightening this all out has taken much fine writers and speakers, and are excellent several Transfers, Alcor's board now re­ longer than I anticipated, not least because at slanting arguments in their direction. fuses to honor the agreements. Because we of the immense amount of work generated Indeed, many of these people used that wish to insure your protection, we encour­ by Alcor's move to Arizona. (There are talent on behalf ofAle or for manyyears. Of age you to change your financial arrange­ only so many hours in the week and in my course, many excellent debaters and writ­ ments as soon as possible. This is the only ability to stay awake.) I have now issued a ers remain inAlcor, and you may occasion- way to insure CryoCare 's team of profes- letter of clarification to individuals who

12 Cryoilics • April, 1994 signed the Transfer Agreements. I have continues to expand, we can expect more services, patient care, and research. Our also designed a more appropriate "letter of organizations to come into being. Argu­ move to Arizona has opened up many new resignation" for Alcor suspension mem­ ably, better service and more consistent possibilities for security and progress (see bers. WewanttopointoutthatweareNOT standards will follow from a competitive my column on the move elsewhere in this holding Alcor members hostage. We all market not monopolized by one group issue). If you are thinking of joining a believe in your freedom to choose your alone. More groups should also lead to cryonics organization or of changing your cryonics organization, although we plan to more and different research initiatives. On organization, we urge you to investigate work hard to persuade you that Alcor is the the other hand, inevitable frictions will arise carefully, to make the best informed choice. best choice. If you have questions about as the differing groups compete for mem­ Hopefully, that-is one principle on which what you have seen or heard, please talk bers, or as new groups may be formed from we can all agree. with one of Alcor's staff or Board before thosewho formerlyworked under one roof. making up your mind. Meanwhile, at Alcor we remain commit­ As the future unfolds, and as cryonics ted to the highest standards of member

E! istorical oration o"f E! uman rain: The Progre!!!ii!!!fiille Ma!!!iitery ot= Mother Nature

by Tom Mackey

he strongest offspring of human na­ her. recalcitrant adolescent brain rid itself of ture is still, ultimately, just another The human brain hit adolescence when, some of the religious restrictions that still Tone ofher casualties. Mother Nature try as it repeatedly did, it couldn't prove the stagnate the scientific young adult brain's unknowingly weakens herself by continu­ existence of an external deity. In fact, evi­ attempts to make itself free. Thank God­ ally annihilatingit. Yes, Descartes, the mind dence showed that Mother Nature was all the fully matured brain-that an adoles­ is all we are; but no, Descartes, it's not that could be verified and also suggested cent brain like Nietzsche played God. transcendent. Still, the modern late ado­ that quantitative formulae could fully de­ What's left of the childish brain still thinks lescent brain could grow into an adult form scribe and predict her actions, so the ado­ no brain has the right to play God, remain­ that would master mother nature on her lescent brain could cogently argue the con­ ing ignorant enough to condemn for grasp­ own turf: the material world. A fully ma­ trary. But it didn't want to. Like many ing for "forbidden fruit." tured human brain could be physically im­ adolescents, the human brain developed Come on, human brain, understand mortal and omnipotent and, hence, divine. an identity crisis. It didn't like considering yourself! You created religious myth to The human brain has been maturing­ itself just a subset of its mother. It wanted circumvent the pains of nature you were becoming more Godlike-for millenia. As independence. For centuries, it had con­ too weak to conquer. But then you created a baby, with little technology, it looked up sidered itself an autonomous entity created technology to conquer these same "natu­ to Mother Nature as a goddess, for it could by a transcendent God. This entity could, ral" pains. You have been continually dis­ rarely control her. She was deified in all therefore, be held accountable for its ac­ satisfied with Mother Nature, because she her multifarious forms. One can see this in tions, with God, not mother nature, being has failed to satisfY your constant will to the pagan polytheism of the Ancient Greeks the final arbiter. live, and to live without pain. and Romans. The apparent fairness of this contrived Suffering and death may not be immu­ Then, as it learned more about nature, moral scenario was insulted by the adoles­ table consequences of human existence. the human brain entered childhood. The cent brain's progressive discovery of na­ The part of the human brain that realizes more it learned, the more it was inclined to ture, a composite of scientific endeavors it this is moving rapidly into adulthood. This consider natural objects, in themselves, often mistook as amoral. The adolescent part of the brain includes scientists who are unworthy of worship. This came with re­ brain often became reactionary, while pre­ investigating the causes of cellular damage peated observations that Mother Nature tending to be progressive, in thinking that that contribute to aging. A precise map of conducted herself in a rather routine man­ not only was God dead, but so was much of the genes of a human's DNA should be ner that suggested she didn't give a damn the abstract reasoning it had employed in available in just a few years. As the human about any of her offspring, which included discovering nature. Knowing it couldn't brain discovers many more secrets ofDNA, the human brain. The brain, thus alienated use either reason or God to save metaphys­ it could obtain some rather divine powers from its mother who, in every instance, ics, the resistant adolescent brain quipped of self-alteration. When the human brain callously aged and annihilated it, withdrew that both science in its abstractions and has truly mastered mother nature, it may within itself to find a way to avoid such religion in its "oth~rworldliness" were es­ feel no need to believe in any God but itself. child-beating. Being just a child, it couldn't capes from real, concrete experience. So As God, the human brain would have the discover anything among its own resources, the brain, forced by its own reasoning to technological power to increase greatly so it contrived anthropomorphic deities give up on an "afterlife," avoided this rea­ both the quantity and the quality oflife. It (e.g., the J udeo-Christian one) which were soning to hold on to the illusion that it was would have created and thus become the supposed to avenge for mother's brutality, autonomous in an "existential" sense. mother of a new nature. This re-creation by providing both continual solace through­ Ironically, though, in its convoluted de­ could be heaven. out the beating and an afterlife away from nial of the fact that it was not yet free, this

April, 1994 • Cryonics 13 The Donaldson Perspective About Science Fiction

I by Thomas Donaldson, Ph.D. I

who no longer even remember human be­ does not depend on obvious fantasy, con­ ings except as myth, and who don't even tinues to appear in bookstores. Still, some­ en I was a teenager, and even in live on theplacewecall the Earth. And they thing seems missing. Noris it, tome, simply y early twenties, I read a lot of think long and carefully about the meaning a matter of the sometimes ugly side of tech­ ience fiction. Yes, I even read ofthese myths. Whatwas a city? They never nology which some books present. Cer­ w: find out. Heinlein's The Door Into Summer. I saved tainly, technology can produce ugly re­ and worked and bought my very own tele­ To Live Forever is the story of a man and sults ... after all, those who create it them­ scope. (It was a 4.25" from Edmund's, a city-state, Clarges, in which immortality selves aren't all models of philosophical which incidentally remains in business. has been discovered, but (for fear of up­ and moral rectitude. When I went away to college, I gave the heaval) made available only to a chosen Some science fiction pushes particular telescope to another younger boy, who few. And even at the start we see many signs political, social, or environmental philoso­ shared my interest in astronomy.) of this arrangement breaking down, not by phies, even some with which (in a very But as time passed, science fiction has corruption but by the strain it causes on broad way) I agree. That, however, is all seemed less and less interesting. Was this everyone involved. The word "death" has trivia. If I know anything about the future, from changes in science fiction itself? Was become an obscenity. Many people go in­ I know that all our contemporary politics it simply because I was growing up? Or sane from the strain of trying to reach that and ideas, even our personalities, will be­ because I went through other changes? I special immortal state available to so few. come outmoded and forgotten after 500 can't really say, and this column tells only The main character, an immortal sentenced years. (Ifwe look carefully, we can even see my own experience. As a cryonicist, how­ to death as an example for "murdering" an such changes happening very slowly before ever, it may say something to other immortal who did not really die, tries to us!) cryonicists, who may find they had similar attain immortality for himself again. In And of course as a cryonicist, those ques­ experiences. doing so, he breaks apart the society itself. tions press on me more than ever. We are As for changes in science fiction, I feel In the end, immortality becomes available making our own try for immortality. What there have been major ones, though some­ to everyone. will happen to us if we succeed remains a one more knowledgeable about science fic­ From the Last to the First Men is written matter for wonder and fascination. I most tion in 1994 may find grounds to argue as a future history, with characters consist­ fervently hope that it will succeed. (Even with me. Some books I read then remain ing of whole races and civilizations (and though sometimes it looks as if even with me even now. From time to time I look indeed is now way out of date!). cryonicists aren't acting as if they really through the bookstores, but have never What caught me, and still does, about want its success. Are all the old ideas about found anything like those books. So here these books isn't their exploration of tech­ the evil of immortality still inside us?) they are: Frederic Brown's The Lights in nology(though technology certainly played To Live Forever may even tell of our own the Sky are Stars; Clifford Simak's City; a major role). Nor were they adventure contemporary problems, though in 20th­ Jack Vance's To Live Forever; and Olaf stories in any classic way. The strongest Century America those problems appear in Stapledon'sFrom the Last to the First Men. theme I can see in all of them comes from a muted, far less dramatic way: we see right What caught my mind about these books? the questions we really ask about the fu­ now an attempt to change the American The Lights in the Sky are Stars by now has ture: Who are we? What will happen to us? health system. We also know that it is the almost become contemporary (it's set in Where are we going? They were each fic­ cost of dying, more than any other medical the late '90s). It is the story of the attempt tional explorations ofthese questions, some­ cost, that raises the cost of medical care. of a former astronaut to become the pilot times with a bit of adventure added, And all the while, all those eminent politi­ on the first exploration flight to Jupiter, somtimes not. Did any of them give real cians and scientists keep one answer virtu­ about the year 2000. We read about his answers? No, but the questions were insis­ ously from their minds. adventures in a sometimes sordid everyday tent. world, almost like the present, but we also When science fiction fell out of favor read of his hopes and ideas and his belief in with me, I very much did not lose my inter­ space travel. He fails, really because of a est in science and technology. Yet rather classic tragic flaw. That failure, though, is than go to science fiction for that I go to the far from the failure of his dreams. original sources. Sure, we can have lots of City is a story about the end of the human stories which depend on some new or specu­ race-not the standard end by disasters of lative invention, on technology in general. one kind or another, caused or not caused The characters in them may or may not be by human beings themselves, but another strong individuals. end caused by time and change. Its narra­ "Hard" science fiction, if by that you tors come from a race of intelligent dogs mean science fiction which speculates but

14 CJyonics • April, I 994 Editors Note: In a recent interview with Alcor President Steve Bridge on WIBC radio in Indianapolis, the very last caller said, "I guarantee that cryonics will worlc." Dick Wolftie, the host, responded, "Oh, how do you know that?)) Caller: «Because I wasfrozen 500years ago.:» Host: « '' Steve: " '' Finally the host s'aid (with just the hint o/ a malicious grin), "Why don't you stay on the line and we'll have our producer tallc with you. He loves these stories." Steve: "Yeah, Diclc, I thinlc that's a whole other show." Alcor Member Richard Shoclc was listening to the interview and sent in the following shoc!dng account. Fiction by Richard Shock

While I was naturally incredulous o/a story agreed to the experiment. airport, where it stowed away in a cold stor­ in which someone claimed to have been fro­ Things get blurry around this part of the age crate full of chocolate truffles. A woman zen 500 years ago, the incident intrigued story. From what I've been able to figure at the Holiday Inn Psychic Fair told me that me. After threatening WIBC with various out, Paracelsus froze me and stuck my body souls always leave an ectoplasmic thread at­ lawsuits (none cifwhich contained the least in a glacier high in the mountains. Then he tached to their bodies, so the Swiss "me" merit), I managed to extract the telephone went to Alsance, intending to recover me in must've followed the line to Indiana. number o/ the supposed ex-corpsicle. Deriv­ a year or two. Instead, he got so involved in I'm not sure what my former body ing his address from this number was el­ his other ideas that he forgot all about me. would've done if it had been healthy. Maybe ementary, as was cornering him at home The tricky part was that even though the it would've killed me trying to get back my and obtaining the biography thatfollows: freezing kept my body preserved, it released soul. Freezing didn't cure its pneumonia my soul. I woke up over four hundred years though, and by the time it reached Indiana * * * later as a highschool drop-outliving in Green­ the disease had slowed it down consider­ wood, Indiana. Getting used to this other ably. I thought about letting it die, but then irst of all, I'm not exactly 500. Actually life was a challenge, especially since welfare how would I get rid of a rotten corpse? Bor­ it'scloserto450,giveortakeadecade. didn't pay enough to live; I had to collect a rowing some money from my girlfriend, I FBack in 1504 I was born in Basel, Swit­ lot of aluminum cans from along the high­ took the body to a doctor and introduced it zerland, a nice little town at that time, but way just for weekly beer money. The food as my feeble-minded brother, a common about as dull as Muncie, Indiana on a Sunday was better in Switzerland, but pretty soon I enough situation in Greenwood. Antibiotics afternoon. just couldn't get along without Penthouse cleared the pneumonia right up, just the way For several years I had a fairly happy life Magazine and Cable TV. they did that case of the clap I got a couple in the mountains, eating cheese and yodel­ I guess everything would be okay if this years ago. ing and such, but when I got to be an old man was the end of the story. The thing is, my My girlfriend didn't mind too much when of 38 I contracted the dread disease Pneu­ original body had stayed frozen back in that I told her my "brother" was going to be monia. While friends and relatives were Swiss glacier. Remember a few years ago living with us from now on. Once I intro­ gathering around me for the last time, a guy when some hikers in the Alps reported an duced my old body to Penthouse and Cable callinghimselfTheophrastus Bombastus von old body they found in a glacier melt? That TV, itloosened up a lot and stopped acting so Hohenheim showed up at my bedside. Al­ was me. Sure, the authorities jumped in fast much like a crazed zombie. Sure, it's not though he was supposed to be a big-shot and announced the body was thousands of very bright, but that still makes it smarter alchemist and physician, von Hohenheim years old, butthatwas because the first corpse than half the guys I know around here. The admitted that he couldn't cure me. How­ they pulled off the mountainside disap­ only problem is that I think it's been having ever, during his research with weird chemi­ peared; after that, they had to fake up a an affair with my girlfriend when I'm out cals and herbs recently brought from Cathay, mummified caveman body so no one would cruising the bars in my Chevette. he cooked up a process where animals could think the Swiss were nuts. Sometimes I just can't stand to live with be made to sleep so deeply that not even Paracelsus knew his business a lot better myself. freezing killed them. Since I was as good as than anyone thought. My soul might've rein­ dead anyway, von Hohenheim wanted to try carnated in someone else, but my original this on me. body didn't die. When the glacier melted, * * * Backthenididn'tknowthatTheophrastus my body revived and started looking for me. Asfaras I have been able to determine, all the von Hohenheim was actually famous all over One day I was sitting out on the stoop of my particulars in this case are true. Unfortu­ Europe as Paracelsus, the first doctor in the girlfriend's mobile home when this creature nately, I could not determine whether the West to use opium and other drugs like that. who looked like the star of Friday the 13th, "body" I met lacked a soul. It did have an At the time, all I knew was that I was drown­ Part VIIIcomes stumbling into my yard and inordinatefondnessforairconditioningand ing on my own juices and just wanted to get yodels at me in German. Apparently it es­ ice cubes, however. the whole disturbing ordeal finished. I caped the morgue in Basel and walked to the

April, 1994 • Cryonics 15 Determined ot to Lose Our Patients --by Ralph Whelan--

This article summarizes and augments my sured guesses. From start to finish, political pressures two previous patient-move articles, which But you'll get your fill of that. Eventu­ were the most abiding complication in the appeared in the February and March is­ ally, yourthoughtswill wander back to those process of relocating our 27 patients from sues cifThe Alcor Phoenix. Ifyou have not poor saps who tried to make a living out of Riverside, California to Scottsdale, Ari­ seen those articles and are interested in carting your cool heels across the decades. zona. The need for a new, larger facilityfor more detail on the move cifourpatients,you I have to imagine that it will seem increas­ Alcor mounted steadily and all-too-visibly can purchase back issues o/ The Phoenix ingly important to you to find out what it throughout the late '80s and early '90s. for $2..50 apiece. was like for them. After all, you were right And while growth brings change, it's not there for all those years, counting on them always the change you'd predict. Alcor I imagine it will be fascinating to hear, to do the right things, to beat the odds and management (the Board of Directors and upon revival from cryonic suspension, the the naysayers, to pull you back from the the staff) had begun splitting into two haz­ tale of the journey you've been on. brink. You'll want to know what it took to ily defined political campsduringthe "Dora Probably your wide-eyed curiosity will pull it off. Kent Saga" ofl988; the dichotomization­ first be directed at the then-present, at the Probably it will have involved-among slow but continuous for several years­ wonders and (I suspect) the wild variation other things-a few relocations. Here's accelerated tremendouslywhenAlcor Vice of "the future" from all of your best-mea- what one of those was like for us. President and Suspension Team Leader Jerry Leaf was cryonically suspended in the Summer ofl991. J errywas universally Figure 1 respected in cryonics circles (something few will ever achieve), and his presence unified a frenetic group. His loss was too big a bolus of entropy for Alcor's existing management structure to grin and bear. The politics got ugly, and a split began to seem inevitable. Amidst all of this turmoil, the ground began to shake. Literally. As if Alcor's obvious need for newer, nicer, larger quar­ ters wasn't enough of a political football, the "The Big One" jogged out onto the playing field and started warming up. News­ paper articles and evening news bits began quoting seismologists to the effect that­ Figure 2 likely as not-a devastating earthquake woud hit Southern California within five years. To those of us who'd already been push­ ing for a move out of Southern California, this was more evidence of an obvious need to hurry. To those who viewed the now increasing emphasis on a years-old threat as disingenuous, this was more evidence of ... you name it. People were accused of putting their political agendas above the safety of the patients. People were accused of using "the safety of the patients" as a false battle cry in pushing their political agendas. Meanwhile, the Alcor Directors had to decide whether or not to support the pur­ chase of a building that seemed to meet all of our needs at a startlingly low price, but that would require-at least to a small de­ gree-a Patient Care Fund investment. The roof over the patients' heads may or may not represent a reasonable Patient Care Fund investment, depending on whom you

16 Clyonics • April, 1994 started by defining some lim­ trucks had the capacity) transfer the dew­ its. We had a total of six ars to the functional truck using the forklift. liquid-nitrogen-bearing So we went with two trucks. We put the dewars in need of transport, four Bigfoot dewars on the double-drop so we would certainly need trailer (figure 2), with unrelated cargo in no more than six trucks. front and behind, and we put the two How few might we need? neuropatient vaults onto a "single-step" Could we have as few as one? trailer, with space enough left over behind It seemed that one of their them for the forklift. The whole array was "double drop" trailers was strapped and chained in place, and then rated to carry about as much covered with tarps. as all six of our remaining The voyage itselfwas blissfully unremark­ dewars weighed, so I began able. conservatively with a one- The political pressures, which also had Dr. Perr!l ((ar lift) an~ Hugh Hixo:z (kn;,elingJ,~ssist the truck plan (figure 1). Many been moving fast, began to let up a bit right movers wzth the masswe cephelarzum ( neuro ) vaults of us were uncomfortable, about this time. This was partly because of ask; but there's no question that it can trans- though, with the "one basket" approach to a certain sense of inevitability achieved by form organizational management into a moving all of our patients, and I later dis- the relocation of Alcor and our patients, passable spectator sport. covered that 1) coming in under the weight and partly because of a relocation of an­ Bargains don't come cheap. It other sort. A few dozen Alcor Mem­ seemed this one might even cost us a bers hit the road as well, but not the chunk of our membership. But was road to Scottsdale. (See "Life in the that even avoidable any more? And TimeoftheSchism" by Steve Bridge, didn't the Alcor Mission Statement page 12.) say patient safety above all else? Which is the right road? Hope­ While the Board and many con­ fully there are man!! roads to a cerned members wrestled with these healthy, happy, unbounded future. issues, the Alcor Staff confronted I'm on the one that looks brightest more mundane problems. Like engi­ to me, and while I'm happy that so neering the move of 27 patients 350 many friends and associates remain milesat-320°F. Thisprojectfellinto my traveling companions, I'm re­ my lap, so I did what anybody else spectful of those who've chosen a would've done. I called the Movers, different route. The more trails we and asked them what the!fwould do. blaze, the more fellowtravelerswe'll We met with representatives from attract, and the more cryonics will three different companies, two of move into the mainstream. That whom returned bids for the job. Of just can't hurt any of us, least of all the two, Chipman Relocation Ser­ the 27 people whom we plan to carry vices, a division ofUnited Van Lines, far enough down this road that they was clearly the more professional. can pick themselves up, thank us, Further, Chipman subcontracted all and ponder what new road to fol­ of its heavy/huge/tricky jobs to low. Dunkel Bros. Professional Equip­ In doing so, they may indeed be­ ment Movers. The Dunkel Bros. gin by looking back to see where representatives were confident that they've been. So it's to you 27 spe­ they could handle the move of the cial people that I dedicate this ar­ patients, and we were impressed by ticle. My congratulations to you for Nine ifA/cor's neuropatients are carried over the their experience and expertise. your foresight and good fortune. I threshold iftheir new home The Dunkel Bros. were quick in hope that this glimpse at your past convincing us that lifting the 1O-feet-tall4- limit does not assure proper weight distri­ helps you with your future. patient "Bigfoot" dewars from the top us­ bution, and 2) unloading the dewars at the ing chains and a forklift was the safest way other end would require a to load them onto trucks. forklift, and the Dunkel Actually, we weren't all that easily con­ Bros. insisted (reasonably vinced. In fact, we staged a "dry run" and enough) that it be their made them demonstrate their asserted pro­ forklift, and their forklift ficiency by moving a Bigfoot dewar-full weighs 18,000 lbs. ofliquid nitrogen but without any patients. Enter Plan B. With a We had them load it in the prescribed man­ two-truck approach, we ner, drive it to Scottsdale, and unload it at wouldbewell underweight the new facility, with cameras clicking, re­ capacity, and we would be corders recording, and cryonicists scruti­ able to bring the forklift. nizing them every inch of the way. Further, we would have So, it could be done. The next question some flexibility in the event was, How man!fdewars shouldgo on each if of technical difficulties en how man!! trucks if what kind, and wh!f? route: if one truck broke I couldn't answer that at first either, so I down, we could (since the How to keep a cool head on the road

April, 1994 • Cryonics 17 The lecul r lr of

A short version of this paper entitled "The Technical Feasibility of Cryonics" appeared in Medical Hypotheses Vol. 3 9, 199 2; 6-16. Part Iof this paper appeared in the January, 1994 issue of CRYONICS (Volume 15:1). Reprints of the first half of this paper are available from Alcor free of charge. Volume 15:1 of CRYONICS can be purchased for $4.50, and reprints of both parts of this paper can be purchased for $3.00

Abstract Cryonic suspension is a method of stabilizing the condition of someone who is terminally ill so that they can be transported to the medical care facilities that will be available in the late 21st or 22nd century. There is little dispute that the condition of a person stored at the temperature of liquid nitrogen is stable, but the process of freezing inflicts a level of damage which cannot be reversed by current medical technology. Whether or not the damage inflicted by current methods can ever be reversed depends both on the level of damage and the ultimate limits of future medical technology. The failure to reverse freezing injury with current methods does not imply that it can never be reversed in the future, just as the inability to build a personal computer in 1890 did not imply that such machines would never be economically built. This paper considers the limits of what medical technology should eventually be able to achieve (based on the currently understood laws of chemistry and physics) and the kinds of damage caused by current methods of freezing. It then considers whether methods of repairing the kinds of damage caused by current suspension techniques are likely to be achieved in the future.

Technical Overview cryonics will save lives. If the answer is "no," then it can be ignored. As discussed liable Even if information theoretic death has earlier, effectively the most that we can methods. Given the his­ not occurred, a frozen brain isnota healthy usefully learn about frozen tissue is the tory of science and technol­ structure. While repair might be feasible type, location and orientation of each mol­ ogyto date, the probability of in principle, it would be comforting to have ecule. If this information is sufficient to future unanticipated advances is at least some idea about how such repairs permit inference of the healthy state with good. might be done in practice. As long as we memory and personality intact, then repair Second, this proposal was selected be­ assume that the laws of physics, chemistry, is in principle feasible. The most that fu­ cause of its conceptual simplicity and its and biochemistry with which we are famil­ ture technology could offer, therefore, is obvious power to restore virtually any struc­ iar today will still form the basic frame­ the ability to restore the structure when­ ture where restoration is in principle fea­ work within which repair will take place ever such restoration was feasible in prin­ sible. These are unlikely to be design ob­ in the future, we can draw well founded ciple. We propose that just this limit will jectives of future systems. Conceptual sim­ conclusions about the capabilities and lim­ be closely approached by future advances plicity is advantageous when the resources its of any such repair technology. in technology. available for the design process are lim­ It is unreasonable to think that the ited. Future design capabilities can rea­ The Nature This Proposal current proposal will in fact form the basis sonably be expected to outstrip current ca­ if for future repair methods for two reasons: pabilities, and the efforts of a large group To decide whether or not to pursue cryonic First, better technologies and ap­ can reasonably be expected to allow analy­ suspension we must answer one question: proaches are likely to be developed. N ec­ sis of much more complex proposals than will restoration offrozen tissue to a healthy essarily, we must restrict ourselves to considered here. ,------..._ and func- methods and techniques that can be Further, future systems will be de­ Ralph Merkle is a nano- tional state analyzed and understood using the signed to restore specific individuals suf­ technologist at Xerox ever prove currently understood laws of physics and fering from specific types of damage, and PARC. He can be reached feasible? If chemistry. Future scientific advances, can therefore use specific methods that are for comments via email at the answer is not anticipated at this time, are likely less general but which are more efficient merkle@parc.xerox.com "yes," then to result in cheaper, simpler or more re- or less costly for the particular type of dam-

18 Cryonics • April, 1994 timeters (about one and a half quarts) and a weight of slightly more than 1400 grams (about three pounds). The smallest nor­ by mal human brain weighed 1100 grams, he while the largest weighed 2050 grams [ 15, r 1n, II Ralph C. Merkle, Ph.D. page 24]. It is almost 80% water by weight. The remaining 20% is slightly less than 40% protein, slightly over 50% lipids, and a few percent of other material[6, page age involved. It is easier for a general­ of exploratory engineering is to provide 419]. Thus, an average brain has slightly purpose proposal to rely on relatively lower bounds on future technical capabili­ over 100 grams ofprotein, about 17 5 grams simple and powerful methods, even ifthose ties based on currently understood scien­ oflipids, and some 30 to 40 grams of" other methods are less efficient. tific principles. A successful example is stuff." Why, then, discuss a powerful, general Konstantin Tsiolkovsky's forecast around purpose method that is inefficient, fails to the turn of the century that multi-staged How Many Molecules take advantage ofthe specific types of dam­ rockets could go to the moon. His forecast age involved, and which will almost cer­ was based on well understood principles If we are considering restoration down to tainly be superseded by future technology? ofNewtonian mechanics. While it did not the molecular level, an obvious question The purpose of this paper is not to lay predict when such flights would take place, is: how many molecules are there? We can the groundwork for future systems, but to nor who would develop the technology, easily approximate the answer, startingwith answer a question: will cryonics work? The nor the details of the Sat:Jrn V booster, it the proteins. An "average" protein mol­ value of cryonics is clearly and decisively did predict that the technical capability ecule has a molecular weight of about based on technical capabili­ was feasible and would eventually be de­ 50,000 amu. One mole of "average" pro­ ties that will not veloped. In a similar spirit, we will discuss tein is 50,000 grams (by definition), so the be devel­ the technical capabilities that should be 100 grams of protein in the brain is 100/ oped feasible and what those capabilities should 50,000 or .002 moles. One mole is 6.02 make possible. x 1023 molecules, so .002 moles is 1.2 x Conceptually, the approach that we 1Q21 molecules. will follow is simple: We proceed in the same way for the ( lipids (lipids are most often used to make 1.) Determine the coordinates and ori­ cell membranes)-a "typical" lipid might entations of all major molecules, and have a molecular weight of 500 amu, which store this information in a data base. is 100 times less than the molecular weight 2.) Analyze the information stored of a protein. This implies the brain has in the data base with a computer about 175/500 x 6.02 x 1023 or about 2 program which determines what x 1023 lipid molecules. changes in the existing structure Finally, water has a molecular weight should be made to restore it to a of 18, so there will be about 1400 x 0.8/ healthy and functional state. 18 x 6.02 x 1Q23 or about 4 x 1Q25 water molecules in the brain. In many cases a 3.) Take the original molecules and substantial percentage of water will have move them, one at a time, back to been replaced with cryoprotectant during their correct locations. the process ofsuspension; glycerol at a con­ The reader will no doubt agree· that centration of4 molar or more, for example. this proposal is conceptually simple, but Both water and glycerol will be treated in might be concerned about a number of bulk, and so the change from water mol­ technical issues. The major issues are ad­ ecules to glycerol (or other cryoprotec­ dressed in the following analysis. tants) should not have a significant impact An obvious inefficiency of this ap­ on the calculations that follow. for several proach is that it will take apart and then These numbers are fundamental. Re­ decades (or longer). If some put back together again structures and pair of the brain down to the molecular relatively simple proposal ap­ whole regions that are in fact functional level will require that we cope with them pears likely to work, then the or only slightly damaged. Simply leaving in some fashion. value of cryonics is estab­ a functional region intact, or using rela­ lished. Whether or not that tively simple special case repair methods How Much Time simple proposal is actually for minor damage would be faster and less used is irrelevant. The fact costly. Despite these obvious drawbacks, Another parameter whose value we must that it could be used in the im- the general purpose approach demon­ decide is the amount of repair time per probable case that all other technical strates the principles involved. As long as molecule. We assume that such repair time progress and all other approaches fail is the inefficiencies are not so extreme that includes the time required to determine sufficient to let us decide today whether they make the approach infeasible or the location of the molecule in the frozen or not cryonic suspension is of value. uneconomical in the long run, then this tissue and the time required to restore the The philosophical issues involved in simpler approach is easier to evaluate. molecule to its correct location, as well as this type oflong range technical forecast­ the time to diagnose and repair any struc­ ing and the methodologies appropriate to Overview if the Brain tural defects in the molecule. The com­ this area are addressed by work in "explor­ putational power required to analyze atory engineering."[!, 13] The purpose The brain has a volume of 1350 cubic cen- larger-scale structural damage-e.g., this

April, 1994 • Cryonics 19 mitochondria has suffered damage to its precise size of this multiplicative factor can ecules in the structure. Having once de­ internal membrane structure (so called reasonably be debated, a factor of 10 should termined the type, location and orienta­ "flocculent densities")-should be less be sufficient. The total time required to tion of a molecule in the original (frozen) than the power required to analyze each simply move a molecule from its original structure, we would simply throw that mol­ individual molecule. An analysis at the level location to its correct final location in the ecule out without further examination and of sub-cellular organelles involves several repaired structure should be smaller than replace it. This requires only that we be orders ofmagnitude fewer components and the time required to disassemble and able to identify the location and type of will therefore require correspondingly less reassemble it, so we will assume that the individual molecules. It would not be nec­ computational power. Analysis at the cel­ total time required for analysis, repair and essary to determine if the molecule was lular level involves even fewer damaged, nor would it be nec- components. We therefore "The speed assembler-directed reactions essary to correct any damage neglect the time required for if found. By definition, the these additional computa­ replacement molecule tional burdens. The total is likely to prove foster than current bio­ would be taken from a time required for repair is stock-pile of structurally just the sum over all mol­ loaical systems. The arm if an assembler correct molecules that had ecules of the time re­ been previously synthe­ quired by one repair de- should be capable makina a complete sized, in bulk, by the sim­ vice to repair that mol­ if plest and most economical ecule divided by the num- method available. ber of repair devices. The motion and causina a sinale chemical trans­ Discarding and replac­ more repair devices there ing even a few atoms might are, the faster the repair will formation In about a microsecond. JJ disturb some people. This can be. The more molecules there be avoided by analyzing and are, and the more time it takes to repair movement is 100 seconds per protein repairing any damaged molecules. How­ each molecule, the slower repair will be. molecule. ever, for those who view the simpler re­ The time required for a ribosome to moval and replacement of damaged mol­ ecules as acceptable, the repair process can manufacture a protein mofecule of 400 Temperature Analysis amino acids is about 10 seconds[5, page if be significantly simplified. For purposes 393], or about 25 milliseconds to add each Warming the tissue before determining its of this paper, however, we will continue amino acid. DNA polymerase III can add molecular structure creates definite prob­ to use the longer time estimate based on an additional base to a replicating DNA lems: everything will move around. A the premise that full repair of every strand in about 7 milliseconds[ 5, page 289]. simple solution to this problem is to keep molecule is required. This appears to be In both cases, synthesis takes place in so­ the tissue frozen until after all the desired conservative. (Those who feel that replac­ lution and involves significant delays while structural information is recovered. In this ing their atoms will change their identity the needed components diffuse to the case the analysis will take place at a low should think carefully before eating their reactive sites. The speed of assembler-di­ temperature. Whether or not subsequent next meal!) rected reactions is likely to prove faster operations should be performed at the same than current biological systems. The arm lowtemperature is left open. A later section Total Repair Machine Seconds of an assembler should be capable of considers the various approaches that can making a complete motion and causing a be taken to restore the structure after it We shall assume that the repair time for single chemical transformation in about a has been analyzed. other molecules is similar per unit mass. microsecond(28]. However, we will con­ That is, we shall assume that the repair time for the lipids (which each weigh about 500 servatively base our computations on the Repair or Replace? speed of synthesis already demonstrated amu, 100 times less than a protein) is about by biological systems, and in particular on In practice, most molecules will probably 100 times less than the repair time for a the slower speed of protein synthesis. be intact-theywould not have to be either protein. The repair time for one lipid mol­ We must do more than synthesize the disassembled or reassembled. This should ecule is assumed to be 1 second. We will required molecules-we must analyze the greatly reduce repair time. On a more neglect water molecules in this analysis, existing molecules, possibly repair them, philosophical note, existing biological assuming that they can be handled in bulk. and also move them from their original systems generally do not bother to repair We have assumed that the time re­ location to the desired final location. Ex­ macromolecules (a notable exception is quired to analyze and synthesize an indi­ isting antibodies can identify specific mo­ DNA-a host of molecular mechanisms for vidual molecule will dominate the time lecular species by selectively binding to the repair of this molecule are used in most required to determine its present location, them, so identifying individual molecules organisms). Most molecules are generally the time required to determine the appro­ is feasible in principle. Even assuming that used for a period of time and then broken priate location it should occupy in the the actual technology employed is differ­ down and replaced. There is a slow and repaired structure, and the time required ent it seems unlikely that such analysis will steady turnover of molecular structure­ to put it in this position. These assumptions require substantially longer than the syn­ the atoms in the roast beef sandwich eaten are plausible but will be considered fur­ thesis time involved, so it seems reasonable yesterday are used today to repair and ther when the methods of gaining access to multiply the synthesis time by a factor replace muscles, skin, nerve cells, etc. If to and of moving molecules during the re­ of a few to provide an estimate of time spent we adopted nature's philosophy we would pair process are considered. per molecule. This should, in principle, simply discard and replace any damaged This analysis accounts for the bulk of allow time for the complete disassembly molecules, greatly simplifying molecular the molecules-it seems unlikely that other and reassembly of the selected molecule "repair". molecular species will add significant ad­ using methods no faster than those em­ Carried to its logical conclusion, we ditional repair time. ployed in biological systems. While the would discard and replace all the mol- Based on these assumptions, we find

20 C!J'Onics • April, 1994 that we require 100 seconds x 1.2 x 1021 vices should eventually be significantly less complex damage (perhaps identifying and protein molecules+ 1 second times 2 x 1023 than a few hundred dollars. The feasibility killing cancer cells) again within a living lipids, or 3.2 x 1023 repair-machine-sec­ of repair down to the molecular level is human. Once developed, there will be con­ onds. This number is not as fundamental insensitive to even large errors in the tinued pressure for evolutionary improve­ as the number of molecules in the brain. projections given here. ments in on-board repair capabilities which It is based on the (probably conservative) should ultimately lead to repair of virtually assumption that repair of 50,000 amu re­ arbitrary damage. This evolutionary path quires 100 seconds. Faster repair would The Repair Process should eventually produce a device capable imply repair could be done with fewer of repairing frozen tissue. repair machines, or in less time. We now turn to the physical deployment It is interesting to note that "At the of these repair devices. That is, although end of this month [August 1990], MITI's How !Many Repair Machines the raw number of repair devices is suf­ Agency ofindustrial Science and Technol­ ficient, we must devise an orderly method ogy (AIST) will submit a budget request If we now fix the total time required for of deploying these repair devices so they for ¥30 million ($200,000) to launch a repair, we can determine the number of can carry out the needed repairs. 'microrobot' project next year, with the repair devices that must function in par­ aim of developing tiny robots for the in­ allel. We shall rather arbitrarily adopt 1os ternal medical treatment and repair of seconds, which is very close to three years, Other Proposals: On-board Repair human beings .... MITI is planning to pour as the total time in which we wish to com­ ¥25,000 million ($170 million) into the plete repairs. We shall broadly divide repair scenarios microrobot project over the next ten If the total repair time is 108 seconds, into two classes: on-board and off-board. years ... "129]. Iwao Fujimasa said their and we require 3.2 x 1023 repair-machine­ In the on-board scenarios, the repair de­ objective is a robot less than .04 inches in seconds, then we require 3.2 x 1015 repair vices are deployed within the volume of size that will be able to travel through veins machines for complete repair of the brain. the brain. Existing structures are disas­ and inside organs[?, 9J. While substan­ This corresponds to 3.2 x 1015 I (6.02 x sembled in place, their component mol­ tially larger than the proposals considered I023) or 5.3x 10-9 moles, or 5.3 nanomoles ecules examined and repaired, and rebuilt here, the direction of future evolutionary of repair machines. If each repair device on the spot. (We here class as "on-board" improvements should be clear. weighs 1Q9 to 1010 amu, then the total those scenarios in which the repair devices A second advantage of on-board re­ weight of all the repair devices is 53 to 530 operate within the physical volume of the pair is emotional. In on-board repair, the grams: a few ounces to just over a pound. brain, even though there might be substan­ original structure (you) is left intact at the Thus, the weight of the devices re­ tial off-board support. That is, there might macroscopic and even light microscopic quired to repair each and every molecule be a very large computer outside the tissue level. The disassembly and reassembly of in the brain, assuming the repair devices directing the repair process, but we would the component molecules is done at a level operate no faster than current biological still refer to the overall repair approach smaller than can be seen, and might there­ methods, is about 4% to 40% of the total as "on-board"). The on-board repair sce­ fore prove less troubling than other forms mass of the brain. nario has been considered in some detail of repair in which the disassembly and re­ By way of comparison, there are about by Drexler!8]. We will give a brief outline assembly processes are more visible. 1014 cellsJ21, page 3J in the human body of the on-board repair scenario here, but Ultimately, though, correct restoration of and each cell has about 107 ribosomes!S, will not consider it in any depth. Forvarious the structure is the overriding concern. page 652] giving 102 1 ribosomes. Thus, reasons, it is quite plausible that on-board A third advantage of on-board repair there are about six orders of magnitude repair scenarios will be developed before is the ability to leave functional structures more ribosomes in the human body than off-board repair scenarios. intact. That is, in on-board repair we can thenumberofrepairmachinesweestimate The first advantage of on-board repair focus on those structures that are damaged, are required to repair the human brain. is an easier evolutionary path from partial while leaving working structures alone. If It seems unlikely that either more or repair systems deployed in living human minor damage has occurred, then an on­ larger repair devices are inherently re­ beings to the total repair systems required boar? repair system need make only minor quired. However, it is comforting to know for repair of the more extensive damage reparrs. that errors in these estimates ofeven several found in the person who has been The major drawback of on-board re­ orders of magnitude can be pair is the increased complex­ easily tolerated. A require­ ity of the system. As dis- ment for 530 kilograms of ((There are about six orders cf maanitude cussed earlier, this is only repair devices (1,000 to a drawback when the 10,000 times more than more ribosomes in the human body than design tools and the re­ we calculate is needed) sources available for the would have little practical the number repair machines we design are limited. We can impact on feasibility. Al­ cj estimate reasonably presume that though repair scenarios future design tools and fu­ that involve deployment of are required to repmr the human brain." ture resources will greatly the repair devices within the exceed present efforts. Devel­ volume of the brain could not be used if cryonically suspended. That is, a simple opments in computer aided design of com­ we required 530 kilograms of repair de­ repair device for finding and removing fatty plex systems will put the design of remark­ vices, a number of other repair scenarios deposits blocking the circulatory system ably complex systems within easy grasp. would still work-one such approach is could be developed and deployed in living In on-board repair, we might first discussed in this paper. Given that humansj2J, and need not deal with all the logically partition the volume of the brain nanotechnology is feasible, manufacturing problems involved in total repair. A more into a matrix of cubes, and then deploy costs for repair devices will be small. The complex device, developed as an incremen­ each repair device in its own cube. Repair cost of even 530 kilograms of repair de- tal improvement, might then repair more devices would first get as close as possible April, 1994 • Cryonics 21 j to their assigned cube by moving through We will not explore these possibilities here can be retained in a molecular "filing thecirculatorysystem(wepresumeitwould (although this appears worthwhile). The cabinet." While keeping physical track of be cleared out as a first step) and would temperature at which other phases takes the original molecules is more difficult tech­ then disassemble the tissue between them place is left open. nically, it is feasible and does not alter off­ and their destination. Once in position, The second phase of off-board repair board repair in any fundamental fashion. each repair device would analyze the tissue is determination of the healthy state. In In the third state, the tissue is restored in its assigned volume and perform any this phase, the structural information and fully functional. repairs required. derived from the analysis phase is used to By characterizing the intermediate determine what the healthy state of the state which must be achieved during the The Current Proposal: C?Jf-Board Repair tissue had been prior to suspension and repair process, we reduce the problem from "Start with frozen tissue and generate The second class of repair scenarios, the healthy tissue" to "Start with frozen off-board scenarios, allowthetotal vol­ tissue and generate a structural ume of repair devices to greatly ex­ "Knowing the type, location and data base and a molecular filing ceed the volume of the human cabinet. Take the structural brain. orientation if every molecule in the data base and the molecular The primary advantage of filing cabinet and generate off-board repair is conceptual fiozen structure under repair and healthy tissue." It is charac­ simplicity. It employs simple teristic of off-board repair brute force to insure that a so­ retaining the actual physical molecules that we disassemble the mo­ lution is feasible and to avoid lecular structure into its com­ complex design issues. As dis­ (thus avoiding any philosophical ob­ ponent pieces prior to at­ cussed earlier, these are vir­ tempting repair. tues in thinking about the jections that replacing the original As an example, suppose problem today but are unlikely molecules might somehow diminish or wewishtorepairacar. Rather to carry much weight in the than try and diagnose exactly future when an actual system negate the individuality if the person what's wrong, we decide to is being designed. take the car apart into its com- The other advantages of this undergoing repair) IS the best that ponent pieces. Once the pieces approach are fairly obvious. Lin- are spread out in front of us, we gering concerns about volume and we can hope to achieve.'' can easily clean each piece, and heat dissipation can be eliminated. then reassemble the car. Of course, If a ton of repair devices should prove we'll have to keep track of where all necessary, then a ton can be provided. any preceding illness. This phase involves the pieces go so we can reassemble the Concerns about design complexity can be only computation based on the informa­ structure, but in exchange for this book­ greatly reduced. Off-board repair scenarios tion provided by the analysis phase. keeping task we gain a conceptually simple do not require that the repair devices be The third phase is repair. In this phase, method of insuring that we actually can get mobile-simplifYing communications and we must restore the structure in accordance access to everything and repair it. While power distribution, and eliminating the with the blue-print provided by the second this is a rather extreme method of repair­ need for locomotor capabilities and navi­ phase, the determination of the healthy ing a broken carburetor, it certainly is a gational abilities. The only previous paper state. good argument that we should be able to on off-board repair scenarios was by repair even rather badly damaged cars. So, Merkle[31 ]. Intermediate States During C?Jf- Board too, with off-board repair. While it might Off-board repair scenarios can be natu­ be an extreme method of fixing any par­ rally divided into three phases. In the first Repair ticular form of damage, it provides a good phase, we must analyze the structure to argument that damage can be repaired determine its state. The primary purpose Repair methods in general start with fro­ under a wide range of circumstances. of this phase is simply to gather informa­ zen tissue, and end with healthy tissue. The tion about the structure, although in the nature of the intermediate states charac­ process the disassembly of the structure terizes the different repair approaches. In C?Jf Board Repair is the Best that can into its component molecules will also take off-board repair the tissue undergoing be Achieved place. Various methods of gaining access repair must pass through three highly char­ to and analyzing the overall structure are acteristic states, described in the following Regardless of the initial level of damage, feasible-in this paper we shall primarily three paragraphs. regardless of the functional integrity or lack consider one app/oach. The first state is the starting state, prior thereof of any or all of the frozen structure, We shall prdsume that the analysis to any repair efforts. The tissue is frozen regardless of whether easier and less ex­ phase takes place while the tissue is still ( unrepaired). haustive techniques might or might not frozen. While the exact temperature is left In the second state, immediately fol­ work, we can take any frozen structure and open, it seems preferable to perform lowing the analysis phase, the tissue has convert it into the canonical state described analysis prior to warming. The thawing been disassembled into its individual mol­ above. Further, this is the best that we can process itself causes damage and, once ecules. A detailed structural data base has do. Knowing the type, location and ori­ thawed, continued deterioration will pro­ been built which provides a description entation of every molecule in the frozen ceed unchecked by the mechanisms present of the location, orientation, and type of structure under repair and retaining the in healthy tissue. This cannot be tolerated each molecule, as discussed earlier. For actual physical molecules (thus avoiding during a repair time ofseveral years. Either those who are concerned that their identity any philosophical objections that replac­ faster analysis or some means of blocking or "self' is dependent in some fundamen­ ing the original molecules might somehow deterioration would have to be used if tal way on the specific atoms which com­ diminish or negate the individuality of the analysis were to take place after warming. posetheir molecules, the original molecules person undergoing repair) is the best that

22 Cryonics • April, 1994 we can hope to achieve. We have reached follows the contours of membranes and gradients or by decorating them with some sort of limit with this approach, a leavesbumpsordepressionswhereitpasses different metals. This suggest a potentially limit that will make repair feasible under around vesicles and other cell organelles. simple method for sequencing DNA." circumstances which would astonish most ... The fracturing process provides more While current devices are large, the fun­ people today. accurate insight into the molecular archi­ damental physical principles on which they One particular approach to off-board tecture of membranes than any other ul­ rely do not require large size. Many of repair is divide-and-conquer. This method trastructural method." It seems unlikely the devices depend primarily on the inter­ is one of the technically simplest ap­ that the fracture itself will result in any action between a single atom at the tip of proaches. We discuss this method in the significant loss of structural information. the STM probe an.d the atoms on the surface following section. The freshly exposed faces can now be of the specimen under analysis. Clearly, analyzed by various surface analysis tech­ substantial reductions in size in such devices Divide-and-Conquer niques. Work with STMs supports the idea are feasible I. that very high resolution is feasible[22]. High resolution optical techniques can Divide-and-conquer is a general purpose For example, optical absorption micros­ also be employed. Near field microscopy, problem-solving method frequently used copy" ... generates an absorption spectrum employing light with a wavelength of hun­ in computer science and elsewhere. In this of the surface with a resolution of 1 na­ dreds of nanometers, has achieved a reso­ method, if a problem proves too difficult nometer [a few atomic diameters]." Kumar lutionof12nanometers(muchsmallerthan to solve it is first divided into sub-prob­ Wickramasinghe ofiBM's T. J. Watson Re­ a wavelength oflight). To quote the abstract lems, each ofwhich is solved in turn. Should search Center said: "We should be able to of a recent review article on the subject: the sub-problems prove too difficult to record the "The near-field optical interaction between solve, they are in turn divided into sub­ spec- a sharp probe and a sample of interest can sub-problems. This process is con­ be exploited to image, spectroscopically tinued until the original problem probe, or modifY surfaces at a resolution is divided into pieces that are (down to ~12 nm) inaccessible by tradi- small enough to be solved by tional far-field techniques. Many of the direct methods. attractive features of conventional op­ If we apply divide­ tics are retained, including and-conquer to the noninvasiveness, reliability, and low analysis of a physical cost. In addition, most optical con- object-such as the trast mechanisms can be extended brain-then we must to the near-field regime, re­ be able to physically sulting in a technique of divide the object of considerable versatil­ analysis into two ity. This versatility is pieces and recursively demonstrated by sev­ apply the same method eral examples, such to the two pieces. This as the imaging of means that we must be nanometric-scale fea­ able to divide a piece of tures in mammalian frozen tissue, whether it be the tissue sections and the entire brain or some smaller part, into creation of ultrasmall, roughly equal halves. Given that tissue magneto-optic domains hav­ at liquid nitrogen temperatures is already ing implications for high-den­ prone to fracturing, it should require sity data storage. Although the only modest effort to deliberately in­ technique may find uses in many duce a fracture that would divide such diverse fields, two of the most excit­ a piece into two roughly equal parts. Frac­ ing possibilities are localized optical tures made atlowtemperatures (when the spectroscopy of semiconductors and the material is below the glass transition tem­ fluorescence imaging of living cells. "[36]. perature) are extremely clean, and result Another article said: "Our signals are cur­ in little or no loss ofstructural information. trum of a single molecule" on a surface. rently of such magnitude that almost any Indeed, freeze fracture techniques are used Williams and Wickramasinghe said [24] application originally conceived for far­ for the study of synaptic structures. Hayat "The abilityto measure variations in chemi­ field optics can now be extended to the [19, page 398] says "Membranes split dur­ cal potential also allows the possibility of near-field regime, including: dynamical ingfreeze-fracturingalongtheircentralhy­ selectively identifYing subunits of biologi­ studies at video rates and beyond; low noise, drophobic plane, exposing intra-membra­ cal macromolecules either through a direct high resolution spectroscopy (also aided nous surfaces .... The fracture plane often measurement of their chemical-potential by the negligible auto-fluorescence of the

11t is interesting to note that current research into the three-dimensional structure of neurons often embeds neural tissue in plastic, and then produces a series of thin sections (typically 50 to 100 nanometers thick in electron microscopic reconstruction work) by using an ultramicrotome. The serial sections are then examined by a person (typically a graduate student) and the structures of interest in each section are outlined on a digitizing tablet and entered into a computer. The resulting data-base is used to build a three-dimensional image of the neuron[27]. This work has been quite successful at determining the three-dimensional structure of small volumes (small enough for a graduate student to examine in a few weeks or months) despite the adverse effects of tissue preparation and sectioning. Sections vary in thickness. They also buckle, fold, and tear. Despite these difficulties, the human visual system can reconstruct the original shape of the object in three dimensions. Current electron microscopic reconstructions are quite capable of analyzing even the finest dendrites and thinnest axons, as well as determining the location and size of synapses[12, 13], and even finer detail[14]. It seems reasonable that the less damaging method of inducing a fracture at low temperature, and the more informative and less damaging analysis possible with nanotechnology (as opposed to destructive analysis of thin sections by a high energy electron beam) will produce more information about the structure being analyzed.

April, 1994 • Cryonics 23 probe); minute differential absorption was divided. Transport and mechanical Computational Requirements measurements; magnetooptics; and manipulation of an object would be done superresolution lithography. "[30]. by arms of the appropriate size. As objects The computational power required to were divided into smaller pieces that could analyze a data base with 1Q25 bits is well no longer be handled by arms of a par­ within known theoretical limits[3, 10, 17]. How Small are the Pieces ticular size, they would be handed to arms It has been seriously proposed that it might of a smaller size. be possible to increase the total compu­ The division into halves continues until the If it requires about three years to ana­ pieces are small enough to allow direct tational power achievable within the uni­ lyze each piece, then the time required both verse beyond any fixed bound in the dis­ analysis by repair devices. If we presume to divide the brain into pieces and to move that division continues until each repair tant futuref25, page 658]. More conser­ each piece to an immobile repair device vative lower bounds to nearer-term future device is assigned its own piece to repair, can reasonably be neglected. It seems then there will be both 3.2 x 1015 repair computational capabilities can be derived unlikely that moving the pieces will take from the reversible rod-logic molecular devices and pieces. If the 1350 cubic cen­ a significant fraction of three years. timeter volume of the brain is divided into model of computation, which dissipates this many cubes, each such cube would be about 1Q-23 joules per gate operation when about .4 microns (422 nanometers) on a Memory Requirements operating at 100 picoseconds at room tem­ side. Each cube could then be directly perature[28]. A wide range of other pos­ analyzed (disassembled into its component The information storage requirements for sibilities exist. Likharev proposed a com­ molecules) by a repair device during our a structural data-base that holds the de­ putational element based on Josephson three-year repair period. tailed description and location of each ma­ junctions which operates at 4 K and in which One might view these cubes as the jor molecule in the brain can be met by energy dissipation per switching operation pieces of a three-dimensional jig-sawpuzzle, projected storage methods. DNA has an is 1Q-24 joules with a switching time of 21 9 the only difference being that we have information storage density of about 10 10- seconds[ 18, 20 J. Continued evolution­ cheated and carefully recorded the posi­ bits/ cubic centimeter. Conceptually simi­ ary reductions in the size and energy dis­ tion of each piece. Just as the picture on lar but somewhat higher density molecular sipation of properly designed NMOS[38] a jig-saw puzzle is clearly visible despite "tape" systems that store 1022 bits/ cubic and CMOS[37, 41 J circuits should even­ the fractures between the pieces, so too the centimeter r11 should be quite feasible. If tually produce logic elements that are both three-dimensional "picture" of the brain we assume that every lipid molecule is "sig­ very small (though significantly larger than is clearly visible despite its division into nificant" but that water molecules, simple Drexler's mechanical proposals) and which pieces2. ions and the like are not, then the number dissipate extraordinarily small amounts of ofsignificant molecules is roughly the same energy per logic operation. Extrapolation as the number oflipid molecules3 (the num­ of current trends suggest that energy dis­ ber of protein molecules is more than two sipations in the 10-23 joule range will be Moving Pieces orders of magnitude smaller, so we will achieved before 2030]16, fig. 1]. There There are a great many possible methods neglect it in this estimate). The digital is no presently known reason to expect the of handling the mechanical problems in­ description of these 2 x 1023 significant trend to stop or even slow down at that volved in dividing and moving the pieces. molecules requires 1Q25 bits( assuming that time[3, 17]. It seems unlikely that mechanical move­ 50 bits are required to encode the location Energy costs appear to be the limiting mentofthepieceswillproveaninsurmount­ and description of each molecule). This factor in rod logic (rather than the number able impediment, and therefore we do not is about 1,000 cubic centimeters (I liter, of gates, or the speed of operation of the consider it in detail. However, for the sake roughly a quart) of "tape" storage. If a gates). Today, electric power costs about of concreteness, we outline one possibility. storage system of such capacity strikes the 10 cents per kilowatt hour. Future costs of Human arms are about 1 meter in length, reader as infeasible, consider that a human power will almost certainly be much lower. and can easily handle objects from 1 to 10 being has about 1014 cells]21, page 3 J and Molecular manufacturing should eventually centimeters in size(. 01 to .1 times the length that each cell stores 1010 bits in its DNA[SJ. sharply reduce the cost of solar cells and of the arm). It should be feasible, there­ Thus, every human that you see is a device increase their efficiency to close to the theo­ fore, to construct a series of progressively which (among other things) has a raw stor­ retical limits. With a manufacturing cost of shorter arms which handle pieces of pro­ age capacity of 1024 bits-and human under 10 cents per kilogram[28J the cost of gressively smaller size. If each set of arms beings are unlikely to be optimal informa­ a one square meter solar cell will be less were ten times shorter than the preceding tion storage devices. than a penny. As a consequence the cost set, then we would have devices with arms A simple method of reducing storage of solar power will be dominated by other of: 1 meter, 1 decimeter, 1 centimeter, 1 requirements by several orders of magni­ costs, such as the cost of the land on which millimeter, 100 microns, 10 microns, 1 mi­ tude would be to analyze and repair only the solar cell is placed. While solar cells can cron, and finally .1 microns or 100 nanom­ a small amount of tissue at a time. This be placed on the roofs of existing structures eters. (Note that an assembler has arms would eliminate the need to store the entire or in otherwise unused areas, we will simply roughly 100 nanometers long.) Thus, we 1Q25 bit description at one time. A smaller use existing real estate prices to estimate would need to design 8 different sizes of memory could hold the description of the costs. Low cost land in the desert south­ manipulators. At each succeeding size the tissue actually under repair, and this smaller western United States can be purchased for manipulators would be more numerous, memory could then be cleared and re-used less than $1,000 per acre. (This price cor­ and so would be able to deal with the many during repair of the next section of tissue. responds to about 25 cents per square more pieces into which the original object meter, significantly larger than the pro-

3 For those concerned about the omission of water molecules and the like, we could just as easily store the coordinates of every molecule. This would increase the storage requirement, but would still be entirely feasible. 2Under favorable circumstances, we might be able to terminate the division process sooner. That is, it might be that a relatively large piece of tissue (several tens of microns or larger) was relatively intact, and required little if any repair. Devising methods to take advantage of the minimal damage that might occur under favorable circumstances is beyond the scope of this paper.

24 C1yonics • April, 1994 jected future manufacturing cost of a one by individuals expert in computer image that are similar to those ofthe human brain. square meter solar cell.) Land elsewhere analysis). Allowing for the fact that such At worst, the behavior of small groups of in the world (arid regions of the Australian "retinal operations" are probably more cells could be analyzed and implemented outback,forexample)ismuchcheaper. For complex than a single "gate operation" by by the most efficient method, e.g., a "cen­ simplicity and conservatism, though, we'll a factor of 1000 to 10,000, we arrive at ter surround" operation in the retina could simply adopt the $1,000 per acre price for 108 to 1010 gate operations per pixel­ be implemented as efficiently as possible, the following calculations. Renting an acre which is well below our estimate of 1012 and would not require detailed modeling ofland for a year at an annual price of 10% operations per bit or 5 x 1013 operations of each neuron and synapse. In point of ofthepurchasepricewillcost fact, it is likely that algo­ $100. Incident sunlight at ((It should be emphasized that in cjf-board rithms that are signifi- the earth's surface pro­ cantly different from the vides a maximum of algorithms employed 1,353 watts per square repair, warming if the tissue is not an issue in the human brain will meter, or 5.5 x 106 watts prove to be the most per acre. Making allow­ because the overwhelming bulk if the calcu­ efficient for this rather ances for inefficiencies in specialized type of the solar cells, atmo­ lations and hence almost all if the enerBY analysis, and so our use spheric losses, and losses of estimates derived from caused by the angle of in­ dissipation takes place outside the tissue." low-level parts-counts cidence of the incoming light from the human brain are reduces the actual average power produc­ per molecule. likely to be conservative). For 1013 pro­ tion by perhaps a factor of 15 to about 3.5 To give a feeling for the computational grams each equivalent in analytical skills x 105 watts. Over a year, this produces 1.1 power this represents, it is useful to com­ to a single human being, this would require x 1013 joules or 3.1 x 106 kilowatt hours. pare it to estimates of the raw computa­ 1029 bits. At 100 cubic nanometers per The land cost $100, so the cost per joule is tional power of the human brain. The bit, this gives 10,000 cubic meters. Using 0. 9 nanocents and the cost per kilowatt hour human brain has been variously estimated the cost estimates provided by Drexlerj28J is 3.3 millicents. Solar power, once we can as being able to do 1013[23], 1015 or this would be an uncomfortable make the solar cells cheaply enough, will be 1016[39] operations a second (where "op­ $1,000,000. We can, however, easily re­ over several thousand times cheaper than eration" has been variously defined but duce this cost by partitioning the compu­ electric power is today. We'll be able to buy represents some relatively simple and ba­ tation to reduce memory requirements. over 1015 joules for under $10,000. sic action)4. The 1037 total logic opera­ Instead of having 1013 programs each able While the energy dissipation per logic tions will support 1029logic operations per to "think" at about the same speed as a operation estimated by Drexler[28j is about second for three years, which is the raw human being, we could have 1010 programs 10-23 joules, we'll content ourselves with computational power of something like each able to "think" at a speed 1,000 times the higher estimate of 10-22 joules per logic 1013 human beings (even when we use the faster than a human being. Instead of hav­ operation. Our 10 15 joules will then power high end of the range for the computa­ ing 10 trillion dedicated human analysts 1037 gate operations: 1012 gate operations tional power of the human brain). This working for 3 years each, we would have for each bit in the structural data base or is 10 trillion human beings, or some 2,000 10 billion dedicated human analysts work­ .5 x 1013 gate operations for each of the times more people than currently exist on ing for 3,000virtualyears each. The project 2x 1023lipid molecules present in the brain. the earth today. By present standards, this would still be completed in 3 calendar years, It should be emphasized that in off­ is a large amount of computational power. for each computer "analyst" would be a board repair warming of the tissue is not Viewed another way, if we were to divide computer program running 1,000 times an issue because the overwhelming bulk the human brain into tiny cubes that were faster than an equally skilled human ana­ of the calculations and hence almost all of about 5 microns on a side (less than the lyst. Instead of analyzing the entire brain the energy dissipation takes place outside volume of a typical cell), each such cube at once, we would instead logically divide the tissue. Much of the computation takes could receive the full and undivided atten­ the brain into 1,000 pieces each of about place when the original structure has been tion of a dedicated human analyst for a full 1.4 cubic centimeters in size, and analyze entirely disassembled into its component three years. each such piece fully before moving on to molecules. The next paragraph analyzes memory the next piece. costs, and can be skipped without loss of This reduces our memory require­ ments by a factor of 1,000 and the cost of How Much Is Enough? continuity. This analysis neglects the memory re­ that memory to a manageable $1,000. Is this enough computational power? We quired to store the complete state of these It should be emphasized that the com­ can get a rough idea ofhow much computer computations. Because this estimate ofcom­ parisons with human capabilities are used power might be required if we draw an putational abilities and requirements de­ only to illustrate the immense capabilities analogy from image recognition. The hu­ pends on the capabilities of the human of 1037 logic operations. It should not be man retina performs about 100 "opera­ brain, we might require an amount of assumed that the software that will actually tions" per pixel, and the human brain is memory roughly similar to the amount of be used will have any resemblance to the perhaps 1,000 to 10,000 times larger than memory required by the human brain as behavior of the human brain. the retina. This implies that the human it computes. Thismightrequireabout 1016 image recognition system can recognize an bits( 10 bits per synapse) to store the "state" More Computer Power object after devoting some 105 to 106 "op­ of the computation. (We assume that an erations" per pixel. (This number is also exact representation of each synapse will In the following paragraphs, we argue that in keeping with informal estimates made not be necessary in providing capabilities even more computational power will in fact

4 Despite the notorious difficulty in obtaining accurate information about specific aspects of brain "hardware," as discussed by Cherniak[40]. it is still the case that rather rough bounds can be usefully derived.

April, 1994 • Cryonics 25 J be available, and so our margins for error architectures while at the same time per­ operation, it seems likely that we will have are much larger. forming a major percentage (e.g., 99% or a great deal more computational power Energy loss in rod logic-in Likharev's more) of their logic operations in a revers­ than required. Even ignoring these more parametric quantron, in properly designed ible fashion. than likely developments, we will have ad­ NMOS and CMOS circuits, and in many Various electronic proposals show that equate computational power for repair of other proposals for computational de­ almost all of the existing combinational the brain down to the molecular level. vices-is related to speed of operation. By logic in present computers can be replaced slowing down the operating speed from with reversible logic with no change in the 100 picoseconds to 100 nanoseconds or instruction set that is executed[37, 38]. Chemical EnerBY if the Brain even 100 microseconds we should achieve Further, while some instructions in cur­ Another issue is the energy involved in the corresponding reductions in energy dissi­ rent computers are irreversible and hence complete disassembly and reassembly of pation per gate operation. This will allow must dissipate at least kT ln(2) joules for every molecule in the brain. The total substantial increases in computational each bit of information erased, other in­ chemical energy stored in the proteins and power for a fixed amount of energy (1015 structions are reversible and need not dis­ lipids of the human brain is quite modest joules). We can both decrease the energy sipate any fixed amount of energy if imple­ in comparison with 1Q15joules. When lipids dissipated per gate operation (by operat­ mented correctly. Optimizing compilers are burned, they release about 9 kilocalo­ ing at a slower speed) andincreasethetotal could then avoid using the irreversible ries per gram. (Calorie conscious dieters number of gate operations (by using more machine instructions and favor the use of are actually counting "kilocalories"-so a gates). Because the gates are very small the reversible instructions. Thus, without "300 Calorie Diet Dinner" really has to start with, increasing their number by modifYing the instruction set of the com­ 300,000 calories or 1,254,000 joules). a factor of as much as 10 10 (to approxi­ puter, we can make most logic operations When protein is burned, it releases about mately 1027 gates) would still result in a in the computer reversible. 4 kilocalories per gram. Given that there total volume of 100 cubic meters (recall Further work on reversible computa­ are 100 grams of protein and 17 5 grams that each gate plus overhead is about 100 tion can only lower the minimum energy of lipid in the brain, this means there is cubic nanometers). This is a cube less than expenditure per basic operation and in­ almost 2,000 kilocalories of chemical 5 meters on a side. Given that manufac­ crease the percentage of reversible logic energy stored in the structure of the brain, turing costs will eventually reflect prima­ operations. Much greater reductions in oraboutSx 1Q6joules. This much chemical rily material and energy costs, such a volume energy dissipation might be feasible[35 J. energy is over 108 times less than the 1015 of slowly operating gates should be eco­ While it is at present unclear how far the joules that one person can reasonably nomical and would deliver substantially trend towards lower energy dissipation per purchase in the future. It seems unlikely more computational power per joule. logic operation can go, it is clear that we that the construction of the human brain We will not pursue this approach here have not yet reached a limit and that no must inherently require substantially more for two main reasons. First, published particular limit is yet visible. than 107 joules and even more unlikely that analyses use the higher 100 picosecond We can also expect further decreases itcouldrequireover 1Q15joules. The major speed of operation and 10-22 joules of in energy costs. By placing solar cells in energy cost in repair down to the molecu­ energy dissipation[28J. Second, operating space the total incident sunlight per square lar level appears to be in the computations at 10-22 joules at room temperature implies meter can be greatly increased (particu­ required to "think" about each major that most logic operations must be revers­ larly if the solar cell is located closer to molecule in the brain and the proper ible and that less than one logic operation the Sun) while at the same time the total relationships among those molecules. in 30 can be irreversible. Irreversible logic mass of the solar cell can be greatly de­ operations (which erase information) must creased. Most of the mass in earth-bound inherently dissipate at least kTln(2) for structures is required not for functional Determinina the Healthy State fundamental thermodynamic reasons. The reasons but simply to insure structural average thermal energy of a single atom integrity against the forces of gravity and In the second phase of the analysis, deter­ or molecule at a temperature T(measured the weather. In space both these problems mination of the healthy state, we deter­ in degrees K) is approximately kTwhere are virtually eliminated. As a consequence mine what the repaired (healthy) tissue k is Boltzmann's constant. At should look like at the mo- room temperature, kT is lecular level. That is, the about 4 x lQ-21 joules. ((It should be feasible to deduce the correct initial structural data base Thus, each irreversible produced by the analysis operation will dissipate 21 structural description even in the face if signifl­ phase describes un­ almost 3 x I0- joules. healthy (frozen) tissue. Thenumberofsuchop­ In determination of the erations must be lim­ cant damage. Only if the structure is obliterated healthy state, we must ited if we are to achieve generate a revised struc- an average energy dissi­ beyond recognition will it be irifeasible to deduce pation of 10-22 joules per tural data base that de­ logic operation. the undamaged state if the structure." scribes the corresponding While it should be fea­ healthy (functional) tissue. sible to perform computa- The generation of this revised tions in which virtually all logic operations a very thin solar cell of relatively modest data base requires a computer program are reversible (and hence need not dissi­ mass can have a huge surface area and that has an intimate understanding of what pate any fixed amount of energy per logic provideimmensepoweratmuchlowercosts healthy tissue should look like, and the cor­ operation )[3, 10, 17, 26, 37, 41 ], current than estimated here. respondence between unhealthy (frozen) computer architectures might require some If we allow for the decreasing future tissue and the corresponding healthy tis­ modification before they could be adapted cost of energy and the probability that sue. As an example, this program would to this style of operation. By contrast, it future designs will have lower energy have to understand that healthy tissue does should be feasible to use current computer dissipation than lQ-22 joules per logic not have fractures in it, and that if any

26 C!J~"OJJics • April, 1994 fractures are present in the initial data base the description in the revised structural brain, for this has been done by traditional (describing the frozen tissue) then the data base to guide the construction of a methods for many thousands of years. If revised data base (describing the resulting different but "equivalent" structure (e.g., we were to adopt a restoration method that healthy tissue) should be altered to remove an "artificial brain"). This possibility has was as close as possible to the traditional them. Similarly, if the initial data base been much discussed[ 4, 23], and has re­ technique for building a brain, we might describes tissue with swollen or non-func­ cently been called "uploading" (or" down­ use a "guided growth" strategy. That is, tional mitochondria, then the revised data loading")[ 11]. Whether or not such a pro­ in simple organisms the growth of every base should be altered so that it describes cess preserves what is essentially human single cell and of every single synapse is fully functional mito­ determined genetically. chondria. Ifthe initial 12 "All the cell divisions, data base describes "The human brain has roughly 10 ne111e cells, deaths, and migrations tissue which is in­ that generate the em­ fected (viral or bac­ plus perhaps ten times as many glial cells and bryonic, then the lar­ terial infestations) val, and finally the then the revised other support cells. While simply encoding this adult forms of the data base should be roundworm altered to remove Caenorhabditis the viral or bacte- complex a structure into the genome cj' a single Elegans have now rial components. been traced."[33]. While the re­ embryo might prove to be over!J complex, it would "The embryonic lin­ vised data base de­ eage is highly invari­ scribes the healthy certainly be feasible to control critical cellular ac­ ant, as are the fates of state ofthe tissue that the cells to which it we desire to achieve, gives rise"[32]. The ap- it does not specify the tivities by the use if on-board nanocomputers. " pendix says: "Parts List: method(s) to be used in Caenorhabditis elegans restoring the healthy structure. There is is often hotly debated, but it has advantages (Bristol) Newly Hatched Larva. This index in general no necessary implication that wholly unrelated to personal survival. As was prepared by condensing a list of all restoration will or will not be done at some an example, the knowledge and skills of cells in the adult animal, then adding com­ specific temperature, or will or will not be an Einstein or Turing need not be lost: they ments and references. A complete listing done in any particular fashion. Any one could be preserved in a computational is available on request ... " The adult or­ of a wide variety of methods could be em­ model. On a more commercial level, the ganism has 959 cells in its body, 302 of ployed to actually restore the specified creative skills of a Spielberg (whose movies which are nerve cells[34]. structure. Further, the actual restored have produced a combined revenue in the Restoring a specific biological struc­ structure might differ in minor details from billions) could also be preserved. Whether ture using this approach would require that the structure described by the revised data or not the computational model was viewed we determine the total number and precise base. as having the same essential character as growth patterns of all the cells involved. The complexity of the program that the biological human after which it was The human brain has roughly 1Ql2 nerve determines the healthy state will vary with patterned, it would indisputably preserve cells, plus perhaps ten times as many glial the quality of the suspension and the level that person's mental abilities and talents. cells and other support cells. While simply of damage prior to suspension. Clearly, It seems likely that many people today encoding this complex a structure into the if cryonic suspension "almost works," then will want complete physical restoration (de­ genome of a single embryo might prove the initial data base and the revised data spite the philosophical possibilities con­ to be overly complex, it would certainly be base will not greatly differ. Cryonic sus­ sidered above) and will continue through feasible to control critical cellular activi­ pension under favorable circumstances pre­ the repair planning and repair phases. ties by the use of on board nanocomputers. serves the tissue with good fidelity down That is, each cell would be controlled by to the molecular level. If, however, there an on-board computer, and that computer was significant pre-suspension injury then Restoration would in turn have been programmed with deducing the correct (healthy) structural a detailed description of the growth pat­ description is more complex. However, In the third phase of repair we start with tern and connections of that particular cell. it should be feasible to deduce the correct an atomically precise description (the While the cell would function normally in structural description even in the face of revised data base) of the structure that we most respects, critical cellular activities, significant damage. Only if the structure wish to restore, and a filing cabinet holding such as replication, motility, and synapse is obliterated beyond recognition will it be the molecules that will be needed during growth, would be under the direct control infeasible to deduce the undamaged state restoration. Optionally, the molecules in of the on-board computer. Thus, as in C. of the structure. the filing cabinet can be from the original Elegans but on a larger scale, the growth structure. This deals with the concerns of of the entire system would be "highly in­ those who want restoration with the origi­ variant." Once the correct final configu­ nal atoms. Our objective is to restore the ration had been achieved, the on-board Alternatives to Repair original structure with a precision suffi­ nanocomputers would terminate their ac­ cient to support the original functional ca­ tivities and be flushed from the system as A briefphilosophical aside is in order. Once pabilities. Clearly, this would be achieved waste. we have generated an acceptable revised if we were to restore the structure with This approach might be criticized on structural data base, we can in fact pursue atomic precision. Before discussing this the grounds that the resulting person was either of two distinctly different possibili­ most technically exacting approach, we will a "mere duplicate," and so "self' had not ties. The obvious path is to continue with briefly mention the other major approaches been preserved. Certainly, precise atomic the repair process, eventually producing that might be employed. control of the structure would appear to healthy tissue. An alternative path is to use We know it is possible to make a human be difficult to achieve using guided growth, April, 1994 • CIJ~'Onics 27 j for biological systems do not normally con­ be very similar to the kinds of diffusion an accuracy of several angstroms). An trol the precise placement of individual that would take place in a normal biologi­ individual lipid molecule, having once been molecules. While the same atoms could cal system. Thus, the restored result would positioned more or less correctly on a lipid be used as in the original, it would seem have the same molecules with the same bi-layer under construction, would be held difficult to guarantee that they would be a toms, and the molecules would be in simi­ in place (at sufficiently low temperatures) in the same places. lar (though not exactly the same) locations by van der Waals forces. Membrane bound Concerns of this sort lead to restora­ they had been in prior to restoration. proteins could also be "stacked" in their tion methods that provide higher preci­ To achieve even more precise control proper locations. Because biological sys­ sion. In these methods, the desired struc­ over the restored structure, we might adopt tems make extensive use of self-assembly ture is restored directly from molecular a "full stabilization" strategy. In this strat­ itwould not be necessary to achieve perfect components by placing the molecular com­ egy, each major molecule would be an­ accuracy in the restoration process. If a ponents in the desired locations. A prob­ chored in place, either to the scaffolding biological macromolecule is positioned lem with this approach is the stability of or an adjacent molecule. This would re­ with reasonable accuracy, it would au­ the structure during restoration. Molecules quire the design of a stabilizing molecule tomatically assume the correct position might drift away from their assigned lo­ for each specific type of molecule found upon warming. cations, destroying the structure. in the body. The stabilizingmoleculewould Large polymers, used either for struc­ An approach that we might call "mini­ have a specific end attached to the specific tural or other purposes, pose special prob­ mal stabilization" would involve synthesis molecule, and a general end attached ei­ lems. The monomeric units are covalently in liquid water, with mechanical stabiliza­ ther to the scaffolding or to another sta­ bonded to each other, and so simple "stack­ tion of the various lipid membranes in the bilizing molecule. Once restoration was ing" is inadequate. If such polymers can­ system. A three-dimensional grid or scaf­ complete, the stabilizing molecules would not be added to the structure as entirely folding would provide a framework that release the molecules that were being sta­ pre-formed units, then they could be in­ would hold membrane anchors in precise bilized and normal function would resume. crementally restored during assembly from locations. The membranes themselves This release might be triggered by the their individual monomers using the tech­ would thus be prevented from drifting too simple diffusion of an enzyme that attacked niques discussed earlier involving posi­ far from their assigned locations. To and broke down the stabilizing molecules. tional synthesis using highly reactive inter­ prevent chemical deterioration during This kind of approach was considered by mediates. Addition of monomeric units to restoration, it would be. necessary to re­ Drexler[l]. the polymer could then be done at the most move all reactive compounds (e.g., oxygen). convenient point during the restoration op­ eration. In this scenario, once the initial mem­ Low Temperature Restoration brane "framework" was in place and held The chemical operations required to in place by the scaffolding, further mol­ Finally, we might achieve stability of the make a polymer from its monomeric units ecules would be brought into the structure intermediate structure by using low tem­ at reduced temperatures are unlikely to use and put in the correct locations. In many peratures. If the structure were restored the same reaction pathways that are used instances, such molecules could be allowed at a sufficiently low temperature, a mol­ by living systems. In particular, the acti­ to diffuse freely within the cellular com­ ecule put in a certain place would simply vation energies of most reactions that take partment into which they had been intro­ not move. We might call this method "low place at 310 K (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) duced. In some instances, further control temperature restoration." can not be met at 77 K: most conventional would be necessary. For example, a mem­ In this scenario, each new molecule compounds don't react at that tempera­ brane-spanning channel protein might have would simply be stacked (at low tempera­ ture. However, as discussed earlier, assem­ to be confined to a specific region of a ture) in the right location. This can be bler based synthesis techniques using highly nerve cell membrane, and pre­ reactive intermediates in near­ vented from diffusing freely perfect vacuum with me- to other regions of the Because biological systems make extensive chanical force providing membrane. One method activation energy will of achieving this limited use if se!fassembly it would not be nee­ continue to work quite kind of control over fur- well, even if we assume ther diffusion would be essary to achieve peifect accuracy in the that thermal activation to enclose a region of energy is entirely absent the membrane by a dif- (e.g., that the system is fusion barrier (much restoration process. if a biological macro- close to 0 Kelvins). like the spread of oil on An obvious prob­ water can be prevented molecule Is positioned_ with reasonable lem with low tempera­ by placing a floating bar- ture restoration is the rier on the water). accuracy) it would automatically assume need to re-warm the While it is likely that structure without incur­ some further cases would the correct position ring further damage. Much arise where it was necessary upou_wCirming. "freezing" injury takes place to prevent or control diffusion, during rewarming, and this the emphasis in this method is in providing roughly likened to stacking bricks to build would have to be prevented. One solution the minimal control over molecular posi­ a house. A hemoglobin molecule could is discussed in the next two paragraphs. tion that is needed to restore the structure. simply be thrown into the middle of the Generally, the revised structural data While this approach does not achieve half-restored red blood cell. Other mol­ base can be further altered to make res­ atomically precise restoration of the origi­ ecules whose precise position was not criti­ toration easier. While certain alterations nal structure, the kinds of changes that are cal could likewise be positioned rather to the structural data base must be banned introduced (diffusion of a molecule within inexactly. Lipids in the lipid bi-layer (anything that might damage memory, for a cellular compartment, diffusion of a mem­ forming the cellular membrane would have example), many alterations would be quite brane protein within the membrane) would to be placed more precisely(probablywith safe. One set of safe alterations would be

28 Cryonics • April, 1994 those that correspond to real-world changes Of course, ice has a smaller volume 1.) Pre-suspension and suspension injury that are non-damaging. For example, after it melts. The introduction of would have to be sufficient to cause infor­ moving sub-cellular organelles within a cell nanovacuoles would only exacerbate its ten­ mation theoretic death. In the case of the would be safe-such motion occurs spon­ dency to shrink upon melting. In this case human brain, the damage would have to taneously in living tissue. Likewise, small we could use vitrified H 20 rather than the obliterate the structures encoding human changes in the precise physical location of usual crystalline variety. H20 in the vit­ memory and personality beyond recogni­ cell structures that did not alter cellular reous state is disordered (as in the liquid tion. topology would also be safe. Indeed, some state) even at low temperatures, and has operations that might at first appear du­ a lower volume than crystalline ice. This 2.) Repair technologies that are clearly bious are almost certainly safe. For ex­ eliminates and even reverses its tendency feasible in principle based on our current ample, any alteration that produces dam­ to contract on warming. Vitrified water understanding of physics and chemistry age that can be repaired by the tissue itself at low temperature is denser than liquid would have to remain undeveloped in prac­ once it is restored to a functional state is water at room temperature. tice, even after several centuries. in fact safe-though we might well seek Increasing the strength of the material An examination of potential future tech­ to avoid such alterations (and they do not can be done in any of a variety of ways. nologies[28] supports the argument that appear necessary). While the unprecedented capabilities are exact range of alterations likely to be developed. Res- that can be safely applied Proteins are one class if strong polymers toration of the brain down to the structural data to the molecular level base is unclear, it is that could be incorporated into the structure should eventually prove evident that the range technically feasible. Off­ is fairly wide. board repair utilizing An obvious modi­ with minimal tissue compatibility concerns. divide-and-conquer is a fication which would particularly simple and allow us to re-warm the Any potential fracture plain would be cnss­ powerful method which structure safely would illustrates some of the be to add cryo­ principles that can be protectants. Becausewe crossed by the new!J added structural pro­ are restoring the frozen used by future technolo­ structure with atomic pre­ tein} and so fractures would be prevented. gies to restore tissue. Cal­ cision, we could use differ­ culations support the idea that ent concentrations and differ- this method, if implemented, ent types of cryoprotectants in different A simple method would be to introduce would be able to repair the human brain regions, thus matching the cryoprotectant long polymers in the frozen structure. Pro­ within about three years. For several requirements with exquisite accuracy to the teins are one class of strong polymers that reasons, better methods are likely to be tissue type. This is not feasible with present could be incorporated into the structure developed and used in practice. technology because cryoprotectants are in­ with minimal tissue compatibility concerns. Off-board repair consists of three troduced using simple diffusive techniques. Any potential fracture plain would be criss­ major steps: (1) Determine the coordi­ Extremely precise control over the crossed by the newly added structural pro­ nates and orientation of each major mol­ heating rate would also be feasible, as well tein, and so fractures would be prevented. ecule. (2) Determine a set of appropriate as very rapid heating. Rapid heatingwould By also including an enzyme to degrade coordinates in the repaired structure for eachmajormolecule. (3) Movethemfrom allow less time for damage to take place. this artificially introduced structural pro­ the former location to the latter. The Rapid heating, however, might introduce tein, it would be automatically and spon­ problems of stress and resulting fractures. various technical problems involved are taneously digested immediately after warm­ likely to be met by future advances in tech­ Two approaches for the elimination of this ing. Very large increases in strength could problem are (1) modify the structure so nology. Because storage times in liquid be achieved by this method. nitrogen literally extend for several cen­ that the coefficient of thermal expansion By combining (1) rapid, highly con­ is very small and (2) increase the strength turies, the development time of these tech­ trolled heating; (2) atomically precise in­ nologies is not critical. of the structure. troduction of cryoprotectants; (3) the ad­ One simple method of insuring that A broad range of technical approaches dition of small nanovacuoles and the use thevolume occupied before and after warm­ to this problem are feasible. The particular ofvitrified H 0 to reduce or eliminate ther­ form of off-board repair that uses divide­ ing was the same (i.e., of making a material 2 mal expansion and contraction; and ( 4) the and-conquer requires only that (1) tissue with a very small thermal expansion coef­ addition of structural proteins to protect can be divided by some means (such as ficient) would be to disperse many small fracturing) which does not itself cause sig­ regions with the opposite thermal expan­ against any remaining thermally induced stresses; the damage that might otherwise nificant loss of structural information; (2) sion tendencythroughoutthe material. For the pieces into which the tissue is divided example, ifa volume tended to expand upon occur during rewarming should be com­ pletely avoidable. can be moved to appropriate destinations warming the initial structure could include (for further division or for direct analysis); "nanovacuoles," or regions of about ana­ (3) a sufficiently small piece of tissue can nometer in diameter which were empty. Conclusion be analyzed; ( 4) a program capable of de­ Such regions would be stable at low tem­ termining the healthy state of tissue given peratures but would collapse upon warm­ Cryonic suspension can transport a termi­ the unhealthy state is feasible; (5) that suf­ ing. By finely dispersing such nanovacuoles nally ill patient to future medical technol­ ficient computational resources for execu­ it would be possible to eliminate any ten­ ogy. The damage done by current freezing tion of this program in a reasonable time dency of even small regions to expand on methods is likely to be reversible at some frame are available; and (6) that restora­ heating. Most materials expand upon warm­ point in the future. In general, for cryonics tion of the original structure given a de­ ing, a tendency which can be countered to fail, one of the following "failure cri­ tailed description of that structure is fea­ by the use of nanovacuoles. teria" must be met: sible.

April, 1994 • Cryonics 29 It is impossible to conclude based on Acknowledgements Mike Darwin, Thomas Donaldson, Eric present evidence that either failure crite­ Drexler, Greg Fahy, Steve Harris, Leonard rion is likely to be met. It is the author's pleasant duty to acknowl­ Hayflick, Hugh Hixon, Peter Mazur, Mark Further study of cryonics by the tech­ edgethemanypeoplewho have commented Miller, David Pegg, Chris Peterson, Ed nical community is needed. At present, on or encouraged the work on this paper Regis, Paul Segall, Len Shar, Irwin Sobel, there is a remarkable paucity of technical as it evolved. The reviewers were not Jim Southard, Jim Stevens, and Leonard papers on the subjectS. As should be evident selected because of their opinions about Zubkoff. from this paper multidisciplinary analysis cryonics: some support it, some don't, and is essential in evaluating its feasibility, for some reserve final judgment. While the specialists in any single discipline have a quality of the result could not have been background which is too narrow to encom­ achieved without their help, the author must pass the whole. Given the life-saving nature accept responsibility for any errors in the of cryonics, it would be tragic if it were final version. The author would like to to prove feasible but was little used. thank: Dave Biegelsen, Arthur C. Clarke,

~ _A lite~ature search on_ cryonics along with personal inq_uiries has not produced a single t~chnical paper on the subject that claims that cryonics IS 1nfeas1ble or even unlikely. On the other hand, techmcal papers and analyses of cryon1cs that speak favorably of its eventual success have been published. It is unreasonable, given the extant literature, to conclude that cryonics is unlikely to work. Such unsupported negative claims require further analysis and careful critical evaluation before they can be taken seriously.

References

1. Engines of Creation by K. Eric Drexler, An­ 17. "Notes on the History of Reversible Com­ R.L. Kostelak, Science Vol. 251, March22 1991, chor Press, 1986. putation" by Charles H. Bennett, IBMJournal page 1468. 2. "Nanotechnology: wherein molecular com­ of Research and Development, Vol. 32, No. 1, 31. "Molecular Repair of the Brain" by Ralph puters control tiny circulatory submarines", by January 1988. C. Merkle, Cryonics Vol. 10 No. 10, October A. K. Dewdney, Scientific American, January 18. "Classical and Quantum Limitations on 1989, pages 21-44. Cryonics is a publication of 1988, pages 100 to 103. Energy Consumption in Computation" by K. K. the Alcor Life Extension Foundation, 7895 E. 3. "The fundamental physical limits of compu­ Likharev, International Journal of Theoretical Acoma Dr., #110, Scottsdale, AZ 85260. tation" by Charles H. Bennet and RolfLandauer, Physics·, Vol. 21, Nos. 3/4, 1982. 32. "The embryonic cell lineage of the nema­ Scientific American Vol. 253, July 1985, pages 19. Principles and Techniques of Electron JV!i­ tode Caenorhabditis elegans," by ].E. Sulston, 48-56. croscopy: BiologicalApplication.s, Third edition, E. Schierenberg, JG. White, J.N. Thomson, 4. The Mind's I, by Douglas R. Hofstadter and by M.A. Hayat, CRC Press, 1989. Developmental Biology, Vol. 100, 1983 pages Daniel C. Dennett. Bantam, 1982. 20. "Reversible Conveyer Computation in Ar­ 64-119. 5. Molecular Biology of the Gene, fourth edi­ rayofParametric Quantrons" by K. K. Likharev, 33. "Caenorhabditis elegans: Getting to Kuow tion, by James D. Watson, Nancy H. Hopkins, S. V. Rylov, and V. K. Semenov, IEEE Transac­ You," by JeanL. Marx, Science, Vol. 225, July6 Jeffrey W. Roberts, Joan Argetsinger Steitz, tions on Magnetics, Vol. 21 No. 2,March 1985, 1984, pages 40-42. and Alan M. Weiner. Benjamin Cummings, pages 947-950 34. "Why is Development So Illogical?" by 1987. It can now be purchased as a single large 21. Basic Human Physiology: Normal Function Roger Lewin, Science Vol. 224, June 22 1984, volume. and Mechanisms of Di.sea.se by Arthur Guyton, pages 1327-1329. 6. Human Biochemistry by James M. Orten, M.D., Saunders 1971. 35. "Two Types of Mechanical Reversible Tenth Edition, Mosby 1982. 22. "The Children ofthe STM" by Robert Pool, Logic," by Ralph C. Merkle, to appear in 7. "Tiny surgical robot being developed", San Science, Feb. 9, 1990, pages 634-636. Nanotechnology, 1993. Jose Mercury News, Feb. 18, 1989, page 26A 23. Mz"nd Children by Hans Moravec, Harvard 36. "Near-Field Optics: Microscopy, Spectros­ 8. Eric Drexler, private communication. Uni'(er_sity Press, 1988. copy, and Surface Modifications Beyond the 9. "Submarines small enough to cruise the 24. ''Microscopy of Chemical-Potential Varia­ Diffraction Limit" by Eric Betzig and Jay K. bloodstream", in Business Week, March 27 tions dn an Atomic Scale" by C.C. Williams and Trautman,Science, Vol. 257,July 101992, pages 1989, page 64. H.K. Wickramasinghe,Nature, Vol344, March 189-195. 10. "Conservative Logic", by Edward Fredkin 221990, pages 317-319. 3 7. "Reversible Electronic Logic using and Tommaso Toffoli,/nternationallournal of 25. The Anthropic Cosmological Principle by Switches," by Ralph C. Merkle, to appear in Theoretical Physics, Vol. 21 Nos. 3/4, 1982, John D. Barrow and Frank J Tipler, Oxford Nanotechnology, 1993. pages 219-253. University Press, 1988. 38. "Hot-Clock nMOS" by Charles Seitz, et. al 11. The Tomorrow Makers, Grant Fjermedal, 26. "Time/Space Trade-Offs for Reversible 1985 Chapel Hill Conference on VLSI, Com­ MacMillan 1986. Computation" by Charles H. Bennett, SIAMJ puter Science Press, pages 1-17. 12. Computer analysis of neuronal .structures Computing, Vol. 18, No.4, pages 766-776, Au­ 3 9. "Energy Limits to the Computational Power by Robert D. Lindsay, Plenum 1977. gust 1989. of the Human Brain" by Ralph C. Merkle, Fore­ 13. The microcomputer in cell and neurobiol­ 27. "Large Scale Analysis ofN eural Structures," sight Update No. 6 page 1. ogy reJ·earch by R. Ranney Mize, Elsevier 1985. by Ralph C. Merkle, Xerox Technical Report 40. "The Bounded Brain: Toward Quantitative 14. "Intracellular control of axial shape in non­ CSL-89-10, November 1989. Available from: Neuroanatomy," by Christopher Cherniak, uniform neurites: a serial electron microscopic Xerox Corporation, Palo Alto Research Center, Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, Volume 2, analysis of organelles and microtubules in AI 3333 Coyote Hill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304. No. 1, pages 58-68. and Ail retinal amacrine neurites", by Sharon 28. Nanosy.stems: JI!Iolecular Machinery, Manu­ 41. "Towards Practical Reversible Logic," by E. Sasaki-Sherrington, J. Roger Jacobs, John facturing and Computation, by K. Eric Drexler, Ralph C. Merkle, in Workshop on Physics and K. Stevens, Journal of Cell Biology 98, April John Wiley 1992. Computation, PhysComp '92, October, Dallas 1984, 1279-1290 29. "MITI heads for inner space" by David Texas; IEEE press 1992. 15. Guinnes.s Book of World Records, Donald Swinbanks, Nature, Vol346, August 23 1990, McFarlan et. a!., Bantam 1989. page 688-689. 16. "Dissipation and noise immunity in compu­ 30. "Breaking the Diffraction Barrier: Optical tation and communication" by Rolf Landauer, Microscopy on aN anometric Scale" by E. Betzig, Nature, Vol. 335, October 27 1988, page 779. ]. K. Trautman, T.D. Harris, ].S. Weiner, and

30 Clyonics • April, 1994 CooL ea p evail Fiction by Linda J. Dunn

This story was originally published in The Semi-Circular of Janus, the newsletter of the "Circle of Janus" SF Fan Club. Our thanks to Ms. Dunn for authorizing its republication here. -Ed.

teve disappeared on Thursday. Or at lesser saints in charge of the port. In fact, I Hell's AI system hooked up via virtual con­ least, I think it was Thursday. We think guarding the port during the time of nection in feedback mode and the library is don'tkeeptrackoftimeverywellhere ourdepartureandreturnhasbecomesome­ crammed full of some of the most bizarre in heaven. thing of an initiation rite for the newer and awful things imaginable. The Hell When you're facing infinity, noting the additions to sainthood. system managers told me their biggest prob­ days oftheweekseems as pointless as count­ This particular time our group was short lem was getting sufficient on-line storage ing drops of water in the ocean. one long-time member. for Hell's large database. They said Satan But I'm still pretty sure it was Thursday I knew Steve wouldn't miss the conven­ likes to keep their acquisition budget unbe­ because we had one good reason for stay­ tion for anything in-well, heaven-so I lievably small as a constant reminder that ing tuned to earth's time: WorldCon. was concerned when he didn't showup. In this IS Hell. Shortly after my arrival here, I discov­ fact, we were all so worried about his ab­ As a former computer system manager, I ered that heavenly residents can go any­ sence that as soon as Monday rolled around had a particular interest in the computer where theywantin their astral bodies. Well, and the living started tearing down the dis­ set-up and I shuddered when I saw their naturally the one place every one of us SF plays, we got together and started a search operations and realized what a hellish ex­ fans want to go as frequently as possible is through all of heaven. perience those poor managers were endur­ WorldCon. I haven't missed one in atleast He was nowhere to be found. ing. seventy-five years. It's a rare thing for someone to be cast But the AI hookup did make it easy for us Since we travel via heavenly Port and outandwecertainlycouldn'timagineSteve to look for Steve and we were both relieved don't have to worry about reservations, doing something to justify such a thing; but and disappointed when we didn't find him. traffic, and all those other-worldly hassles, just to be on the safe side we decided to If he wasn't in Heaven or Hell, where else we usually leave could he possi­ the morning bly be? WorldCon be­ That's when gins. That's "Satan did away with all the fire and brimstone when Virtual we remem­ usually Thurs- bered about day. Reality became available. He's got Hell's AI system hooked up Alcor. Steveleft I think the our local SF saints are fi­ club in India­ nally beginning via virtual connection in feedback mode, and the library is crammed napolis to as­ to get used to sume manage­ our schedule. full of some of the most bizarre and awful things imaginable." ment of Alcor, They still think and he'd made we're demen- arrangements ted and would love to forbid our yearly check out Hell. to have himself frozen upon his death in the pilgrimage, but He has become somewhat Hell may be a nasty place for the resi­ hope that he could be brought back when of a fan since our arrival. That means they dents, but it's a great tourist attraction for technology was sufficiently advanced. have to take a "hands off' policy towards us heavenly guests. Well, if you were in charge of the opera­ us. The devil loves it, too. After all, what tion, who would you bring back first? Some­ But that doesn't mean they don't make could be more hellish than to have a visit one whose loss would cost the organization their displeasure known. They tend to roll from your ex-spouse gloating over his or lots of money, such as a multi-millionaire their eyes, clasp their hands together, and her election to an infinity of contentment with stipulations in his contract, or some­ mumble in Latin if they see us returning while you're up to your eyeballs in some one whose awakeningwould be wildly popu­ with replicas of what we admired on earth. slime pit surrounded by alligators? ... And lar if successful and inexpensive if it failed? (We had a special problem that one time that's only one of the situations I've seen Steve was on Earth. We found him at the when one of the guys replicated a particu­ my ex-husband in when I've dropped by for next WorldCon giving a panel discussion larly attractive fan he'd seen in a mermaid a visit. They've got some real nifty tortures on cryonics and how it felt to be back. We costume. Saint Peter didn 'twant to let him in their Allibrarythat even I wouldn't have rejoiced and sat down for the discussion. through the port with it.) wished upon that rotten jerk. Naturally, we expected him to talk about But like I said, they're starting to get In case you didn't know, Satan did away life after death and his great times with us, used to us now. They usually go off when with all the fire and brimstone when Vir­ but we were rudely disappointed. He didn't WorldCon begins and leave some of the tual Reality became available. He's got remember anything. Or atleast, he claimed

April, 1994 • Clyonics 31 not to remember anything except a mo­ reminded us, getting a little crowded in Have you ever had a near-miss situation ment of panic when his parachute didn't heaven. With the world government fi­ where you've jokingly said that your Guard­ open and then waking up in the recovery nally getting off its rump and colonizing ian Angel was looking after you? Or have room at Alcor. Mars, it would be only a matter oftime until you ever been somewhere allegedly We left then and roamed the halls for humans moved ouside the Solar System haunted and felt a presence watching you? awhile. Finally, we bumped into another and started finding all those habitable And haven't you heard stories from people heavenly resident and gaped as we realized worlds He'd set up for them. Then the about how they'd wake up one morning it was Himself-the Supreme Being. population growth would really take off! after the death of a loved one and feel as He looked a little embarrassed and asked I think He also mumbled something though that person was nearby and attempt­ us not to tell the saints. about how He should have just said "go," ing to comfort them? So we asked him about Steve and his lack and left out the part about "being fruitful Well, forget all that; it's all psychological of memory. He said He was responsible for and multiplying," but I could be mistaken. nonsense and wishful thinking upon the that. It wouldn't do, he explained, for Steve would be immortal, He informed part of mere mortals. We can't do any of people to know what to expect when they us. As would everyone else who underwent that. But we could borrow Satan's AI sys­ die. It seems He wants people to be good the procedure ofregeneration. I twas grow­ tem and connect it to our device. With a because it's the right way to be, not because ing so crowded in Heaven that He had small change, we managed to send output theywant to be guaranteed a spot in heaven. decided it was time to allow this scientific back in time to the Macintosh one of our Besides, he pointed out, heaven is get­ advancement. He chuckled a little, too. members used for writing. ting a little crowded. Said the only people dying now would be We asked the original owner to write this We all nodded in agreement and then those killed in accidents, and a large num­ story, so it would be in her style. The owner Dave pointed out that it really didn't matter ber of those would be going straight to refused, claiming she couldn't possibly much. With today' s lifespans, Steve would Hell. write as badly now as she had in those days. be joining us in three or four hundred years. I thought that was a little extreme, but But those of us forced to occasionally listen But He halted our rejoicing. It was, He He assured me Satan had always reserved a to the stories she composes now were cer­ special placeinHellfordrunk tain she could, in fact, write even worse drivers. According to Him, than she had while alive. it's right next to the place for She walked off in a huff when we said Membership Status politicians. that, so we had to get someone else to write I was impressed, but then it; then we sent it over the Port via the time Ale or has 3 31 Suspension Members, 55-::; Bob piped up with "Well, I distorter. You're reading it now. Associate Members (includes 11 2 in the don'tthinkthisisatallfair. If With a little luck, the Macintosh owner process of becoming Suspension Members), we'dknownyouplannedthis, will wake up in the morning and manage to and 2 8 patients in suspension. These numbers we would have had our heads convince herself that she wrote this during frozen too." We told him to the night while she was half asleep. Ifwe're are broken down by country below. be quiet, bowed a few times really lucky, she may even get it printed in to Him, and backed away. some small press publication where people When we got back to the will read it several times, exclaiming over party hotel, Bob whined that how badly some stories are written. we should have let him file a Most of you read this will simply ignore complaint with Him, but the message at the end, but the members of Greg just grinned and said he ourlocalclubwillnot. Onceyou'vechanged had a better idea. the past, your memories change too. We You know, Heaven's full know we paid attention to the following ofengineers and technicians. message from Heaven: Invest in Alcor. The Supreme Being always And make arrangements to have yourself said He reserved a special frozen. place in Heaven for them because the scientists always got all the credit when it was really the engineers and tech­ nicians who did all the work. Greg's idea was to build a modifier for the Port which 0 2 1 takes us to Heaven, Hell, 2 0 2 Earth, and whatever other 0 0 2 plane we want to visit. Only 0 0 1 this modifier would take us 5 Russia 0 0 4 backwards in time to the 0 Spain 6 2 0 point we desired. 0 Sri Lanka 0 0 1 So we built it. But being Estonia 0 Sweden 0 0 1 souls without form or sub­ Finland 0 Swit?~rland 0 0 1 stance, we couldn't talk to France 0 2 U.K. 14 4 3 ourselves and convince our­ Germany 1 1 U.S.A. 292 97 357 selves that we needed to set Holland 0 2 Ukraine 0 0 1 up an account with Alcor. It Ireland 1 2 TOTALS 31112445 didn't matter; we found an- other avenue.

32 Cryonics • April, 1994 Through Our Eyes Only? The Search For Animal Consciousness by Marian Stamp Dawkins, WH Freeman and Co., Ltd., 1993

Reviewed by Thomas Donaldson, Ph.D. The author of this book says some very clearly learn individual words, they fail (or an animal) have some model of the interesting things to us as cryonicists, completely to learn any grammar. (In­ world, and rather than work out what even though she wrote it from a view­ stances to the contrary, she argues, will happen if we do X rather than Y by point quite different from our own. The come from the chimpanzee's ability to trial and error, we predict the result major question which seems to have respond based on a close watch of how from our model. So can animals have driven Ms. Dawkins to write her book nearby humans respond). So it's not so such models of the world? To test such comes from moralit.!J: if some animals easy to decide that animals can learn abilities, we present the animal with a are conscious, can we morally treat based solely on their behavior. novel situation. them the way we often do now, experi­ Yet some psychologists have pro­ Dawkins discusses several experi­ menting on them or eating them? duced experimental evidence that al­ ments of this kind. In each of them, the Regardless of the reasons for which most certainly indicates learning. animal must somehow learn a concept she wrote her book, its interest to us Dawkins discusses, for instance, the of number or order independent ofthe comes direct from our interest in find­ behavior of rats, which involves not particular objects involved. For in­ ing out, somehow, just how much dam­ only recognition of other rats, but deci­ stance, one experimenter has trained age before and during suspension sion as to whether or not to eat what the rats to always choose the 3rd tunnel in would destroy us entirely. Could our other rat has eaten on the basis of just a series, regardless of how it looked or consciousness survive even with a total how healthy that rat remains after­ smelt, or its position in relation to loss of memory? For that matter, could wards. And psychologists have shown where the rat was placed at the start. it even survive suspension? Some that rats do even more than that: once (This scientist took a great deal of cryonicists, from an attitude close to they learn that something is unhealthy trouble to make sure that his rats had despair, believe that even after a per­ to eat, they somehow teach their pups no other cue about how to behave). fect suspension we may never regain not to eat it too. Experimenters have She also discusses one parrot, Alex, spe­ our consciousness: they decided to found that even after several genera­ cifically trained to recognize mean­ choose suspension because nothing tions, and the death of all the rats that ings of the words it had learned. else exists. Other cryonicists believe initially learned that one food was un­ And finally, perhaps the easiest (or that consciousness with no memory at healthy, the rat colonywould still refuse hardest?) question ofthem all: do some all means nothing; that opinion may be to eat it. Her discussion of these abili­ animals have feelings? Dawkins here very well as it stands, but given how ties of animals is particularly interest­ points out that even among human be­ sloppy the world is, just how little ing because she focuses not on whether ings, words are considered far less memory counts as no memory at all? or not an animal can pass laboratory weighty indicators of feelings than ac­ Do we survive ifwe can only remember tests of "intelligence" but instead on tions. Dawkins suggests that we exam­ a few scenes from our early childhood? the role thatlearning and thinking play ine animals' actions to find out their The gulf between no memory at all and to help the animal survive in the wild. feelings, and cites several experiments only a little may be very wide. In this context, experimenters have showing how animals can feel hungry Dawkins begins by examining a re­ shown that some birds have a memory (how hard they work for food) or not, lated question, which she clearly dis­ for where they have hidden nuts which or lonely (at least among social ani­ tinguishes from consciousness. Are ani­ extends to tens of thousands of loca­ mals: how hard theywork to visit a com­ mals capable of learning and complex tions; ostriches recognize individual panion). As one very suggestive ex­ behavior? Do not be put off by her ostrich eggs, ... in general, animals in ample, she cites an experiment with purposes in making this investigation; their normal habitat have specialized sweet liquids. Human beings will find she is determined to do it rigorously, intellectual abilities which far exceed such liquids less pleasant right after with close attention to experimental our own. they've eaten than when they are hun­ data. By doing so, she knowingly raises As Dawkins says herself, it's not that gry. Rats also will drink less of a sweet issues that a more sentimental approach this is consciousness, but that it may liquid after eating. The suggestiveness would ignore. For instance, bees can come close. We do, after all, consider comes from graphing the response of achieve quite surprizing feats in locat­ any species capable of complex and both humans and rats: they match ing flowers. We know, however, that learned behavior to be more likely to closely. bees are individually far too simple to have consciousness than one able to So finally, after all this data, Dawkins have much in the way of thoughts. The only carry out stereotyped, simple be­ discusses it in the light of her main entire process by which bees search for havior. question: are these animals conscious? sources ofnectarworkslike a very finely From an ability to learn complex be­ She makes one obvious critical point tuned machine. In this context, haviors, we can pass to an even more about consciousness: we judge that a Dawkins also discusses the evidence for distinct ability, the ability to think. person is conscious from their behav­ language in chimpanzees; her conclu­ There is a fairly explicit definition of ior also, not from any special access to sion is that although chimpanzees can what thinking might consist of: that we their mind. Hence if we show that ani-

April, 1994 • Clyonjcs 33 mals have quite similar behavior, it value. (She does not claim thatithasno ward nonhuman animals? Unfortu­ becomes illogical to decide that they use otherwise). nately, if we base our morality on con­ lack consciousness while people do not. As cryonicists this tells us also how sciousness alone, then any rights we And then she makes another critical we might test survival ofconsciousness: give for consciousness will extend many pointwhich deserves serious attention. very simply, it will most likely survive times too far. Consider the real conse­ If we believe that consciousness has so long as our brains retain some integ­ quences of deciding that every mam­ some kind of use (that is, it gives con­ rity. If suspension or events before it mal and bird is morally equal: then our scious animals an advantage over destroy our forebrain, then perhaps response to l!ature should resemble nonconscious ones) then we must also consciousness would not survive ... that of a witness to a murder. We would believe that it will show itself somehow though new forebrains might certainly necessarily have to bring all predation in behavior. be regrown. At this point, Dawkins rests of whatever kind to an end. The real That is, consciousness should be just her case; but for us, the question has moral problem remains that of choos­ as testable as weight. only begun. Yet this emphatically does ing between different relative goods, a True, its advantages may be subtle, not mean that animal consciousness has far harder problem. Dawkins assumes but they must show themselves explic­ no bearing at all on our concerns. For if that consciousness will bear on this is­ itly to those who know how to look. We we can test for consciousness in ani­ sue, without discussing how in any de­ cannot logically decide that the ques­ mals, we can also test for its survival. By tail ... quite unlike her discussion of tion of consciousness is unanswerable doing so, we will therefore bring some consciousness itself. But cryonicists (though of course we may not now empirical data into a field that has re­ should not allow this lapse to blind them know how to answer it. A short discus­ mained the sole province of metaphys­ to the interesting ideas and data she sion of the evidence suggests that con­ ics and philosophy for too long. Were presents. sciousness provides an ability to work Suda's cat brains conscious? Experi­ out what to do in novel situations. Fur­ ments can decide such questions just as thermore, for most animals (including theycandecidewhetherornotlifecon­ most human beings) social relations tinues. give the main field in which it shows its Can this data affect our behavior to-

Reversing Memory Loss: Proven Methods for Regaining, Strengthening and Preserving Your Memory, by Vernon H. Mark, M.D.

Reviewed by Russell Cheney

Many believe that memory is a critical important for you to know because the book-"What Is Vital Memory?"­ component of life and of self; these manypeople, whenfaced with the symp­ discusses Dr. Mark's term "vital individuals are likely to find this book toms o/ memory loss, become quite de­ memory," as well as memory processes both fascinating and useful. pressed. Theirfirst thought is that, like and testing. His pragmatic term, "vital Briefly, this gem is a surprisingly­ their fathers or grandmothers bifore memory" equates roughly to sufficient readable, up-to-date, practical guide on them, they,ve got Alzheimer,s disease, mental capacity to perform daily func­ what's currently known about retain­ that everything is lost, andthere ,s noth­ tions and to enjoy life. ing your maximum brain capacity. It's ing that can be done for them. Fortu­ written by an authority in the field, and nately, that,s not true in the vast major­ Treatment on thevastmajorityofissues appears to ity o/ cases. The next, five-chapter section, "Rever­ provide clear, scientific information in Repeatedly, Dr. Mark emphasizes sal of Memory Loss," discusses major a domain traditionally complicated by that memory-loss diagnoses due to causes and their treatment, including unsubstantiated assertions. Alzheimer's disease or "simple" old depression (identified as the single Optimism age should not be accepted lightly. For most-common cause of reversible vital example, from page 169: memory loss), alcohol, hallucinogens, Dr. Mark's positive approach to retain­ An important message I want to con­ stimulants, depressants, and prescrip­ ing brain function will be comfortable tion medications. to many cryonicists, who tend to be vey is not to take the diagnosis o/ Alzheimer ,s disease asfinal untila very Memory loss symptoms are clearly optimists themselves. Typically, from delineated that are normal (should not page 139: thorough andaccurate history has been taken. With multi-infarct dementia ... be ofspecial concern), and that require Brain sciences have made fantastic it is possible to treat such patients and medical investigation. progress in the last three decades, in preventjutureproblems ifthe disease is Dr. Mark believes that a surprisingly both the diagnosis and treatment o/ found early enough. wide variety of commonly-used drugs brain diseases and injuries. When pin­ have both short-term and permanent pointedearly, the causes o/brain symp­ deleterious effects on memory and in­ toms, especially memory loss, can in Vital Memory tellectual functions. Recommended for many cases be reversed. This fact is The first, three-chapter, section of minimal use are drugs as well-known as

34 Cryonics • April, 1994 proven to result in anything except the Appropriate helmets in contact sports consumer smelling fishy. and bikes would be of great help. Dr. Mark stressed that good nutri­ Supplement Minimum Optimal tion is low-fat nutrition; "Many strokes Conclusion Vitamins: can be prevented by reducing fat in the This book is recommended to become A 5000IU 10,000IU diet." D 400IU 400IU part ofevery cryonicist' stool-kit to help deal positively with the future. E 30IU 100IU Diseases/Injuries C 60mg 1,000 mg B1 (thiamine) 1.5 mg 20mg The next, six-chapter section, "Diseases B2 (riboflavin) 1.7 mg lOmg and Injuries That Cause Memory Loss," B3 (niacin) 20 mg 250mg discusses problems caused by infec­ B5 (pentothenic acid) 10 mg 20mg tions, closed-head injuries, epilepsy, B6 (pyridoxine) 2 mg 20mg strokes and degenerative brain dis­ B9 (folic acid) 400 meg 400mcg eases. One entire chapter is devoted to B12(cobalamines) 6mcg lOOmcg surgery-treatable causes of memory H (biotin) n/ a 300mcg loss. Choline n/a 3g Advertisements Minerals: Hope and Calcium 1g 1.6g The next, two-chapter section. "Hope Phosphorus 1g 1.6g for the Future," discusses prevention Iodine 150mcg 150mcg and predictions. The chapter on pre­ Personals Iron 18mg 20mg vention is most helpful because of the Cryonics maaztne reserves the riaht to. accept· or Magnesium 400mg 400mg practical nature of the recommenda­ reject ads at. our own discretion, and assume no Copper 2mg 3mg tions, including the following: Zinc 15mg 25mg responsibility for their content or the consequences if answerin9 these advertisements. . The rateis Other: Exercises: $8.00 per line pet month (our lines dre considered SpringWater n/ a 45-60 oz to be 66 columns wide). Tip-in rates per sheet are Extractedfrom Table .2, page .210. Physical $140 (printedone side) or $180 (printed both Dr. Mark recommends daily exercise sides), from camera-ready copy. Important note: Prior to using this list to reduce the risk of strokes associated as a guide, please study the related with hardening of the arteries, as well EXTROPY The Journal of Transhumanist Thought # 12 material in Dr. Mark's book. as for general fitness to help avoid fall­ A practical Look at Ocean Colonization; The Last ing accidents that cause severe head Free Place on Earth; Logical Languages: A Path to injuries. Posthuman Rationality?; The Open Society and its Gentle jogging for twelve to fifteen Media; God and Man at Yale: A Conversation with Valium, Ativan, Halcyon, and alcohol, Dave Ross; Forum: Automated Police and Defense among many others specifically identi­ minutes a day is recommended, as are Systems (Nanarchy); Wormhole Warfare; Reviews fied here. A check-off list for the use of other alternative exercises at varying of Fuz'9' Thinking: The New Science '!f' Fuzzy Logic, and length of times to achieve equivalent The Childrens Machine. $4.95; $18 lor one year sub. new prescription drugs is included ($22 Canada; $32/$24 overseas air/surface) from (page 95). benefits. Extropy Institute; 13428 Maxellan Ave., #273, Brain Marina Del Rey, CA 90292. E-mail: [email protected]. Nutrition Examples of preventive exercises in­ The next, four-chapter section, "Diet clude learning to print, shave, and MARY NAPLES, CLU and BOB GILMORE and Reversible Memory Loss," dis­ brush teeth with the nondominant CRYONICS INSURANCE SPECIALISTS. cusses brain nutrition and chemistry, hand. 4600 Bohannon Drive, Suite I 00 memory versus brain metabolism, and Slowing down the brain's aging pro­ Menlo Park, CA 94025. thyroid dysfunction. This section is cess by practicing all aspects ofintellec­ (800) 645-3338. good news for those wishing to help tual function is recommended, includ­ take charge of the health of their own ing math skills, drawing with either Venturist Jl1onthly News promotes immortalist phi- brain. hand, and reading aloud. In addition to a complete chapter on losophy. For lree sample write: The Venturists; Honing memory skills is recom­ I 547 W. Dunlap; Phoenix, AZ 85021. the subject, one of the most compre­ mended via specific exercises focused hensive and practical discussions of on attention, concentration and distrac­ beneficial brain supplementation cul­ tion-avoidance, including the develop­ Do you want to keep up with science and technology minates in specific recommendations, ment of mnemonic (association) and bearing on cryonics? Periostron is a science newsletter shown here in the box "Daily Supple­ relaxation methods. written by and lor cryonicists, only $2.50 per issue. mentation." Before using this extract, Periastron, PO 2365, Sunnyvale CA 94087. it is recommended thereaderstudy Dr. Mark's accompanying notes in his Injury-Prevention L!fc Extension Foundation of Hollywood, Florida pro- book. Over 100,000 serious brain injuries vides members with "inside" information about A quick evaluation by Dr. Steve Har­ occur each year from automobile acci­ high-tech anti-aging therapies. For lree information ris rated the supplementation sched­ dents. Air bags used with three-point call 1-800-841-LIFE. ule as "Very good," although Dr. Har­ seat-beltrestraintswould, " ... markedly ris stated that choline has not been reduce the incidence of brain injury."

April, 1994 • Cryonics 35 RDER F R M======> All prices include postage and handling and are in US. dollars. Minimum order: $5.00. Overseas orders must be paid with US. dollars by Traveler's Cheques or International Money Order, and must include an additional20% (of total) for shipping. All orders are subject to availability and all prices are subject to change. CRYONICS, 1 Year (4-issue) Subscription 0 United States ...... $ 15 l0 Alcor Member Appli~t~~:!!~~!~ ...... $150 0 Canada/Mexico ...... $ 20 BOOKS 0 OutsideNorthAmerica ...... $ 25 0 Cryonics: ReachiogForTomorrow.. n ...... , •• $ 7.95 0 Cryonics back issues on disk/fiche (circle) ...... $120 0 Engines otCreation...... $1 0;95 0 Catalog of back issues, 10+ years ...... $ 5 0 The Prospect ofImmortality ...... $11.00 0 Th.e 120-YearDiet...... $ 5.95 The A/cor Phoenix, 1 Year (8-issue) Subscription 0 ManlntoSuperman...... $14.00 0 UnitedStates ...... $ 20 0 Immortality: Physically, Scientifically, Now...... $ 6.95 0 AIIOtherCountries ...... $ 25 0 TheSiliconMan ...... $19.95 • r IC es an dR epnn t s CRYOBIOLOGY AND THE FEASIBILITY OF CRYONICS 0 The Molecular Repair of the Brain, by Ralph Merkle, Ph.D ...... $3.00 0 Will Cryonics Work? Examining the Probabllities,by Steve Harris, M.D ...... $2.50 0 Why Cryonics Probably Will Work, by R. Michael Perry, Ph.D...... $1.00 0 Freezing of Living Cells, Mechanisms and lmplications,by Peter Mazur, Ph.D...... $2.50 0 "Cryobiology and the Feasibility of Cryonics Package" (AII4ofthe above articles) ...... $7.50 NANOTECHNOLOGY 0 There's Plenty of Room atthe Bottom, by Richard P. Feynman, Ph.D...... $1.50 0 MolecularTechnologyand Cell Repair Machines, by K. Eric Drexler, PhD...... $2.00 0 Nanotechnology ,by Brian Wowk...... $2.50 0 Cell RepairTechnology,byBrian Wowk...... $2.50 0 "Nanotechnology Package" (AII4 of the above articles) ...... $7.00 MEMORY, IDENTITY, AND THE BRAIN 0 Questions (and a Few Answers) About Memory,by Thomas Donaldson, Ph.D ...... $2.00 0 lsn'tThat You Behind Those Foster Grants? by David Krieger...... $1.50 0 But What Will the Neighbors Think?! The History and Rationale of Neurosuspension,by Mike Darwin ...... $2.00 SUSPENSION REPORTS 0 Her Blues Eyes Will Sparkle,by Linda Chamberlain...... $2.00 0 A Weli·Loved Man,byMaryMargaretGiennie ...... $2.00 ALCOR LEGAL HISTORY 0 Our Finest Hours: Notes on the Dora Kent Crisis, by R. Michael Perry, PhD...... $2.50 0 Motion for Award of Attorneys' Fees, byDavid Epstein...... $2.50 0 Dick Jones Story ,Edited by Stephen Bridge ...... $5.00 GENERAL 0 Lovecraft, Scientific Horror, Alienation, and Cryonics,bySteve Harris, M.D ...... $2.00 0 Cryonics in PopularCulture,by Steve Nea/...... $1.00 0 'WhyWeAreCryonicists"and"Aicor: TheOriginofOurName" ...... Free 0 Why Cryonics Can Work (brochure) ...... $0.75 0 Cryonics and Christianity (brochure) ...... $0. 75

( 0 Discount Package {AiloftheaboveArticlesandReprints) ...... $35.00) The literature above can be ordered by mailing in this form with a check or money order or credit card authorization SUBTOTAL: ____ (Visa/MO,or bytelephone(Visa/MC only) bycallingAicor: 1-602-922-9013 or by FAX: 1-602-922-902t. +20% if overseas

NAME ______PHONE ______TOTAL:

ADDRESS. ______CITY ______;STATE __ZIP ___ Send your order to: Alcor Foundation VISA/MC#(Circleone), ______,EXP ___ _ 789,5 E. Acoma Dr., #110 SIGNATURE (Credit card orders only), ______Scottsdale, AZ 85260·6916 About the AI cor Foundation The Alcor Foundation is a non-profit tax-exempt scientific and educational organization dedicated to advancing the science of cryonics and promoting it as a rational option. Alcor currently cares for 28 patients in cryonic suspension, and has hundreds of signed up Members. Being an Alcor Member means knowing that-should the worst happen-Aicor's Emergency Response Team is ready to respond for you, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. _ Alcor's Emergency Response capability includes equipment and trained technicians in Arizona, New York, Indiana, Northern California, Southern California, and England, and a cool-down and perfusion facility in Florida. Alcor's Arizona facility includes a full-time staff with employees present 24 hours a day. The facility also has a fully equipped research laboratory, an ambulance for local response, an operating room, and a patient care facility using state-of-the-art storage vessels.

New Handbook Now Available! The new edition of Cryonics: Reaching For Tomorrow is back from the presses! Reaching For Tomorrow is the"textbook" introduction to cryonics. Over 100 pages long, Reaching For Tomorrow is a fantastic and unique examination of the social, practical, and scientific arguments that support the continuing refinement oftoday's imperfect cryonic suspension techniques, in pursuit of perfected suspended animation. This edition features a new Appendix based on the "Suspension Pricing and the Cost of Patient Care" article by Ralph Whelan in the October, 1993 issue of CRYONICS, as well as a considerably lengthened and updated chapter on "Revival." Order your copy for $7 .95, or receive it FREE when you subscribe to CRYONICS magazine for the first time. (See the offer on the inside front cover.) StiLL the only comprehen.Jire introduction to cryonic.J procedure.J and philo.Jophy on the planet/

For those considering A/cor Membership . ...

If you're intrigued enough with cryonics and Alcor that you're considering Membership, you might want to check out The A/cor Phoenix, AI cor's Membership newsletter. The Phoenix is a Membership benefit, so it's free to Members and Applicants, but anyone can receive it for $20/year ($25/year if you're overseas). It's released 8 times each year, on the "off months" of the quarterly CRYONICS (February, March, May, June, August, September, November, and December). The Phoenix is shorter than CRYONICS, but appears twice as often and is mailed First Class. Being a Membership newsletter, The Phoenix focuses on Membership issues such as financing cryonics, staff and management matters, developments in Patient Care and Emergency Response, etc. These issues will impact you directly if you decide to become a Member, and may help you make a more informed decision in the meantime. Alcor Foundatiofl 7895 E. Acoma Dr., #110 Scottsdale, AZ 85260-6916 (602) 922-9013 Meetings Board of Directors Meetings Midwest Southern California Alcor business meetings are held on the first · Alcor Midwest is in full swing. It produces a The Southern Califomia chapter of Alcor meets Sunday of every other month: January, March, monthly newsletter and holds monthly meetings. every month in an informal setting in one of our May, July, September, and November. (The July It has a state-of-the-art stabilization kit and re­ member's homes. The May meeting (on the fourth and September meetings are on the second Sun­ sponds to six states: Ml, IL, OH, MO, IN, and WI. Sunday of the month) is now scheduled. For more day.) Guests are welcome. Meetings start at 1 For meeting information or to receive the Alcor information, call Michael Riskin at {714) 879-3994. PM. For more information, call Alcor at (602) 922· Midwest Newsletter, contact Brian Shock at (317) The April 24 meeting will be at the home of Nance 9013. 769-4252, or 670 South State Road 421 North; Clark at 4201 Via Marina in Marina Del Rey. For Zionsville, IN 46077. Sunday, July 10, 1994: directions, call AI cor or call Nance at 31 0-306-3129. ALCOA Boston 7895 East Acoma Dr., #110 Scottsdale, AZ 85260 There is a cryonics discussion group in the Boston area meeting on the second Sunday each England Directions: Take the 10 to the 17 Northbound, month. Further information may be obtained by There is an Alcor chapter in England, with a full exit Thunderbird Road heading East. Thunderbird contacting Tony Reno at (508) 433-5574 (home), suspension and laboratory facility south of London. will tum into Cactus St, stay on Cactus until you (617) 345-2625 (work), 90 Harbor St., Pepperell, Its members are working aggressively to build a reach Scottsdale Road, turn left on Scottsdale MA 01463, or [email protected] (email). Information solid emergency response, transport, and suspen­ Road, then right on Thunderbird (which will quickly can also be obtained from David Greenstein at become Redfield), then (after about a quarter sion capability. Meetings are held on the first (508) 879-3234 or (617) 323-3338 or Sunday of the month at the Alcor UK facility, and mile) left on 76th Place. 76th Place turns into 71774.741 @compuserve.com (email). Acoma Drive; A/cor is on the right at 7895 Acoma may include classes and tours. The meeting com­ Dr., Suite 110. District of Columbia mences at 11:00 A.M., and ends late afternoon. The address of the facility is: Bay Area Life Extension Society, Inc. is a new cryonics and life extension group with members from Washing­ Alcor UK Afcor Northern California meetings: Potluck sup­ ton, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland. Meetings are 18 Potts Marsh Estate pers to meet and socialize are held the second held monthly. 1994 meetngs are scheduled for Westham Sunday of the month beginning at 6:00 PM. All May 15, June 12, July 17, September 11, October members and guests are welcome to attend. East Sussex 16, November 13, and December 11. Call Mark Tel: 0323 460257 There is a business meeting before the potluck at Mugler at (703) 534-7277 (home), or write him at 4:00. The June meeting information is as follows: 990 N. Powhatan St.; Arlington, VA 22205. Directions: From Victoria Station, catch a train for Pevensey West Ham railway station. When you arrive Sunday, June 12, 1994: Las Vegas at Pevensey West Ham tum left as you leave the Paul Genteman Cryonics Laughlin meets the third Sunday of the station and the road crosses the railway track. Carryon 905 S. Winchester Blvd, Apt 228 month at 1:00 PM at the Riverside Casino in down the road for a couple ofhundred yards and A/cor San Jose, CA Laughlin, Nevada. FREE rooms at the Riverside UK is on the trading estate on your right Tel: 408-296-3298 Casino on Sunday night are available to people Victoria Station has a regular train shuttle con­ Directions: Take 280 South, exit Winchester Blvd, who call at least one week in advance. The time nection with Gatwick airport and can be reached go South (right), enter Winchester Park Apt's (first and place of these meetings sometimes changes, from Heathrow airport via the London Underground right after Toys R Us). Paul's apt is at the South so before you come, please call Eric K!ien at (702) tube or subway system. end of the complex in quad 905. Apt 228 is the first 897-4176. apt at the top of the stairs. Directions: Take 95 south from Las Vegas, People coming for AUK meetings must phone through Henderson, where it forks between 95 and ahead--or else you're on your own, the meeting Colorado 93. Bear right at the fork and stay on 95 past A cryonics group will be forming in Colorado. Searchlight until you intersect with 163, a little may have been cancelled, moved, etc., etc. For this Further information may be obtained by con­ before the border with California. Go left on 163 information, call Alan Sinclair ato323 488150. Near tacting Walter Vannini at 111 East Drake Rd, and stay on it until you see signs for Laughlin. You metropolitan London, contact Garret Smyth at 081- Suite 7046, Fort Collins, CO 80525, or can't miss the Riverside Casino in Laughlin, Ne­ 789-1 045 or Garret@ destiny .demon.co.uk, or Mike [email protected] (email). vada. Price at 081-845-0203 or price@ price.demon.co.uk.