X-Message-Number: 2563
From: Ralph Merkle <>
Subject: CRYONICS: pet immortality
Date: 	Mon, 17 Jan 1994 12:31:21 PST

The following article might be of interest.

I was particularly amused by the claim that "Skeptics agree that many
new things are possible, but most discount the prospects of bringing
identical pets back."  In context, this simply implies cloning a new
pet from the genetic material of the original, a capability included
in even rather pedestrian forecasts of future abilities.

This reminds me of the 1945 statement by Adm. William Leahy on the
prospects for the atom bomb:  "That is the biggest fool thing we
have ever done....The bomb will never go off, and I speak as an
expert in explosives."


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>From world.std.com!nsg-d-request Sat Jan 15 05:36:46 1994
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Date:	Sat, 15 Jan 1994 05:20:46 -0800
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From:	 (Fred Hapgood)
> Subject: pet immortality
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>Xref: world clari.tw.science:5864 clari.local.washington:1050
>Path: world!news.kei.com!ub!decwrl!looking!clarinews
>From:  (UPI)
>Newsgroups: clari.tw.science,clari.local.washington
>Subject: Company storing pet blood samples for cloning
>Keywords: scientific industry, misc industry, research, science
>Copyright: 1994 by UPI, R
>Message-ID: <>
>Date: Fri, 14 Jan 94 17:47:52 PST
>Location: northwest states, pacific states
>ACategory: regional
>Slugword: wa-petclone
>Priority: regular
>Format: regular
>ANPA: Wc: 338/353; Id: z8065; Src: upi; Sel: xsbos; Adate: 1-14-N/A
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>Lines: 33

	PORT TOWNSEND, Wash. (UPI) -- A Washington state researcher has begun
freezing and storing blood from pets in anticipation of the day when
genetic scientists can recreate the animals from stored blood cells.
	The company, Geneti-Pet, started offering the service to pet owners
this week.
	Owner Paul Asmus believes the genetic engineering process will
someday allow pet owners to raise an identical animal with the same
physical characteristics and temperaments, all over again.
	``This is the future,'' said Asmus, a 37-year-old former airline
mechanic. ``It is going to happen. Pet owners are ready for this.''
	He said his research grew from his attempts to save his own pets.
	``I am not just trying to get little old ladies money,'' he said.
	For $75, Asmus will send a kit to pet owner asking that a
veterinarian withdraw a small amount of blood from the animal. Once the
vial is returned,Geneti-Pet puts it into a cryogenic cylinder, which
uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the blood to 196 degree below zero, where
it is kept indefinitely.
	Customers must also pay an annual fee of $200. Asmus predicts it will
take less than 10 years for scientists to develop the replication
process.
	Skeptics agree that many new things are possible, but most discount
the prospects of bringing identical pets back.
	Still, Asmus wants to be ahead of the times.
	``DNA research is heading to where humans will be able to create
almost anything,'' Asmus said. ``Hardly a day goes by when science
doesn's discover a piece of the puzzle.''
	Geneti-Pet is getting a wide range of responses from its offer, Asmus
said. Many people are concerned about human cloning but have fewer
qualms about the prospects of cloning pets.
	``Our idea is basically this: 'Your pet is gone, in a sense, but not
really, He's not totally gone if we still have his blood and his DNA,''
Asmus said. ``If we don't save him now, no amount of money will bring
him back once the DNA is lost.''


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