X-Message-Number: 7866
Date: Sun, 16 Mar 1997 08:59:48 -0800 (PST)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: fixation and vitrification

In Message #7859 Brian Wowk wrote:
   "Fixation and vitrification is an interesting idea (I believe
first proposed by Mike Darwin many years ago, and featured in
Drexler's book, "Engines of Creation").  Personally I'd rather
be just vitrified, and accept the risk of storage failure. 
Viable (or nearly viable) cells are going to be a lot easier to
repair than cells where everything has been cross-linked at the
molecular level (what a mess for future repair engineers!)."

   I can think of one good reason to consider fixation and
vitrification/mummification - affordibility. There have been a number of
cases where cryonicists were cremated or buried instead of being
cryopreserved, when funds were in short supply. I imagine first fixing the
brain, then vitrifying/mummifying it and cremating the rest of the body
would cost no more than whole body burial in a cemetary. I am amazed to
see poor cryonicists accepting complete destruction so easily when there
does exist an affordible alternative.  


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