Cryopreservation: freezing your body for a chance at the future.

Would you freeze yourself?

I certainly would!

After recording my episode 20, I am convinced that “freezing” my body after I die is something I would do. I prefer that over burying, or cremating myself.

Before I delve into the details of what I learned on this episode, let me set the stage:

I recorded the episode in a beautiful 25?°C afternoon in a terrace in Charlottenburg, Berlin, with an eager audience of over 40 people. I am deeply thankful to our sponsors – Mindspace , Something & Nothing | B Corp? , MOUNTAIN'S GOAT , Basa Studio and Mondhügel – for their invaluable support.

Ok, here we go. These are my main thoughts about this crazy topic!

I wanted to start the discussion with Dr. Emil Kendziorra by understanding if there was the chance to waking up, say 100 years from now, and being someone else.

He explained that cryopreservation is based on the assumption that consciousness and identity emerge from the intricate connections within the brain. That means that when you “freeze” the body at death, the preserved individual retains their memories, identity, personality, and subjective emotions.

Thus, the idea of turning into a different person after cryopreservation is considered unlikely.

How much does cryopreservation costs?

Next, I wanted to know the cost of it. How accessible it is.

Based on my conversation with Dr Kendziorra, I understand that the cost of cryopreservation is around €120,000. That is a one time payment!

For Dr. Kendziorra and his team, bringing the costs down is a challenge for many reasons, but hey...this is so novel and out of the mainstream that I think the price is not crazy high.

That was surprising!

Is cryopreservation ethical?

I am sure this goes through your head when you think about cryopreserving human bodies. Is this ethically or morally wrong?

Well, it is up to you to decide, but think about how some decades ago things like wearing glasses or getting a heart transplant were seen as “against nature”. Now they are widely accepted. Maybe it is a matter of time for our perceptions to change.

How cryopreservation works:

Here is a super simplified version of how cryopreservation works:

Firstly, it is not about freezing the body. Which is what I initially thought.

The process begins by cooling the body down to a chilling -196 degrees Celsius. Then they put that body in a stainless steel capsule filled with liquid nitrogen. Once the body is there, there is no further degradation or damage. The bodies can be there until medical technology has a solution for the disease that killed them in the first place.

A thorough definition of what cryopreservation is can be found here.

What is the role cryogenics may play in the future?

I first thought of this idea as crazy, but as I looked into it, I understood better what role can cryogenics play in the future.

In my opinion, cryopreservation offers a glimmer of hope for those seeking to extend their lives beyond their natural limits. With astounding advancements in medical technology and synthetic biology on the horizon, who knows what lies ahead?

As we conclude our discussion, we cannot help but wonder about the future implications for humanity.

Whether cryopreservation becomes a mainstream option or not, one thing is clear – we are at the cusp of remarkable breakthroughs that will redefine our understanding of what it means to be alive and what the future holds for humanity.

Stay curious, my friends!

Listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast platform:

Spotify, Apple, Amazon, Google, or here if you want to access the transcripts.