X-Message-Number: 21464 From: "Ben Best" <> Subject: Vitrification explanations Date: 24 Mar 2003 08:45:50 -0800 > Message #21447 > Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2003 11:00:34 -0600 > Subject: Vitrification? > From: Brian A Stewart <> > > Recently I had a discussion with my father about > cryonics, and I mentioned that from what I understand > Alcor is using some sort of "vitrification" technique in > an attempt to limit cell damage. Unfortunately, I really > don't understand what they mean by "vitrification", and > so, obviously, when my father wanted me to explain, > I could not. (He said that the only meaning of the term > he was familiar with involves high temperatures.) > > Can someone explain vitrification to me in layman's > terms (my background in science is spotty at best)? > Or, if I have completely misunderstood, what it is that > Alcor is doing? Additionally, wasn't ACS studying > something similar? Brian, I have a very detailed article on vitrification on my website: http://www.benbest.com/cryonics/vitrify.html If you type "vitrification" into the Google search-engine http://www.google.com/ this article of mine will come up very prominently on the first page. A very closely related article of mine on the same subject has a focus on cooling/cooling-rates which are of great significance in vitrification: http://www.benbest.com/cryonics/cooling.html I have been studying science most of my life, so I am not sure how comprehensible these articles are to people with a "spotty" background in science. The first essay places a great emphasis on a chemistry perspective, whereas the second is more concerned with an engineering perspective. If you (or anyone) reading these essays has suggestions to me as to how I might simplify my presentation or make the concepts easier to understand I would greatly welcome such input. -- Ben Best Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=21464