X-Message-Number: 2181
Date: 29 Apr 93 22:59:22 EDT
From: Charles Platt <>
Subject: CRYONICS Vitrification, careers, ice

To: Cryonet

In case other people are too busy with room-building concerns to answer
basic questions:

Vitrification has been achieved with some smallish animal organs, but is
by no means routine, and the methods used have generally required high
atmospheric pressure and carefully controlled cooling rates--neither being
easy to apply to a whole person as opposed to a single organ. More to the
point, however, different organs require different variations of the
cooling rate/cryoprotectant concentration/atmospheric pressure mix. And
lastly, I believe that the concentrations of cryoprotectant are borderline
toxic.

Re careers in cryonics, it's heartening to see someone ask such a question/.
In my opinion the best answer is one that I heard from Mike Darwin: the
field of cryonics is still so new, it's possible for an individual to make
a big impact, even if the individual lacks elaborate academic qualifications
(as is the case with Mike himself). So, if you want a field where you can
establish your own line of research, make significant breakthroughs, and
maybe carve out a place for yourself in history, this is it. However, if
you want a field where a large organization will pay you a steady wage
with health benefits and a pension plan, this is not it. 

Re the load-bearing capabilities of frozen patients, I am not entirely
convinced by the breezy "solid as a rock" assurances from Brian. Solids
are not necessarily "solid" in a real sense over long periods of time.
Surely the truth is, we honestly don't know what the effects of gravity
could be on a frozen person over a period of a century. Since elaborate
precautions are being taken in every other respect, why not play safe on
this one, too? Also, I would like to see the patients secured to something
so there is no chance of them literally falling over and breaking.
(Accidents do happen.) How about a system of hammocks? This would spread
the load very evenly, and the net construction of the hammock would allow
air to circulate freely.

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