X-Message-Number: 1943 Date: 11 Mar 93 23:39:34 EST From: Charles Platt <> Subject: CRYONICS Room Insulation To: Cryonet March 11, 1993 To Brian Wowk: Seems to me there is one little practical factor which you omitted from your otherwise very elegant formula re heat insulation: the cost per square foot per year of floor space. Foam insulation six feet thick, around the walls of a cold room that is (say) ten feet square, is going to occupy 312 square feet, assuming the corners are bevelled off at 45- degree angles. Here in New York City, we consider $10 per square foot per year to be low cost for commercial space. I realize New York rates are high relative to other parts of the country, but obviously square footage always does cost something, and the cost may not be negligible relative to the cost of liquid nitrogen. It might be cheaper to conserve some space and use some more liquid nitrogen instead. My math/physics is so ancient and unused, I'm unqualified to comment on the more technical aspects. It does seem to me, though, that Ralph Merkle has a point, which can be summarized as follows: 1. We DO NOT yet know how to freeze someone without causing damage on the cellular level. 2. Therefore nanotechnology will DEFINITELY be required to revive any patients frozen with current techniques. 3. Nanotechnology would have an easier job fixing big fractures than little cells. 4. Therefore we should devote limited resources to devising better ways of protecting cells before even thinking about different preservation systems which may eliminate cracking but will take time and money to devise and build. Am I missing something obvious, here? --Charles Platt Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=1943