X-Message-Number: 13784
Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 09:15:29 -0700
Subject: Brain Jumping
From: Ivan Snyder <>

Greetings all cryonauts, and cryonaughts, 

Here is my piece on one possible (?) way to achieve immortality using
present technology. I am new here, so I don't know if I actually
originated this idea. But first let me introduce myself. I'm just a guy
in Southern California having some medical experiance as a veterinary
technician who enjoys pondering experiments such as this. I found out
about your group in reading the First Immortal. Note: The following
procedure does not involve cryonics. I do believe that cryonic suspension
is a viable, but after revival you may need a fresh new body. If the
following procedure works, then the future is more in sight and might be
all the more hopeful and appealing to the prospective cryonicist. Before
I start, let me say that although this experiment might work, I would not
do it myself. It is far too brutal and intimate for me. So let us just
call it a thought experiment for now. Too brutal now, but we could learn
much which might lead us to the next level involving only minor surgery.
I ask you experts out there, would this work? Here it goes: 

First we take two rat subjects both treated with anti-rejection drugs.
One old and maze trained, the other just young and dumb. Cut away crania,
peel back brain membranes, and swab both with nerve growth factor ( you
need not even cut into brain ). Place identity centers ( frontal lobes? )
in mutual contact. Then bolt skulls together and let heal. The only thing
you might want to cryopreserve would be the skull cap for later
replacement. An alternate method might be to take two rats, cut corpus
callosum, ...too risky and messey!

Question: could the old rat's identity become incorporated into the young
rat's brain? Could the young rat work its way through the maze?

Here is what makes me believe this might be possible. Years ago I saw an
old TV progrom That's Incredible. Featured were two cephallically
conjoined twins having cerebral fusion. These twins could communicate
nonverbally. Some doctors felt that these twins might better be
considered as one individual. Think about that.

I think probably no one is desperate enough to undergo such an operation.
Yet still, I think we should do a rat test. For if this works, then later
we might gain the technology to merely place identity chips on the brain.
After identity incorporation, the chip would then be transferred to a new
cloned body. Remember, memory may be down-loaded, recorded, copied, and
transmitted. Only identity need be transplanted. Should this higher level
technology be developed, I would consider the procedure for myself.

Ivan Snyder
Hermosa Beach
California 

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