Ready to get cryopreserved? Human hibernation – which always seemed like science fiction – is now also available in Switzerland, and more than 400 people have applied for it. The European company that made hibernation possible for Europeans is called Tomorrow Biostasisthe first to operate in cryopreservation in Europe, and promises to block the deterioration of the body after death by “freezing” it, with the hope of bringing it back to life in a few hundred years, even if the company itself gives no guarantee that in future will be possible.
The company, founded in 2019 by the German doctor Emil Kendziorrais based in Berlin, but already maintains in Raft (Canton of Zurich). four bodies in cells filled with liquid nitrogen to –196 °C of temperature.
How cryopreservation works
Let's start by saying that to be hibernated the necessary prerequisite is to be dead, but not “too dead”. What we mean is that you have to be dead for an hour or less to prevent the cells in your body from dying. Without these essential requirements, it is not possible to start the cryopreservation of the body, which has already been used for years to preserve human embryos and spermatozoa insecurity. What is certain is that preserving a body has a much higher level of difficulty. Tomorrow Biostasis transports the body of the deceased to an ambulance which performs cardiopulmonary resuscitation and administers oxygen with a breathing mask. Afterwards, he (gradually) immerses the body in a tub of ice.
Once you reach the center of Rafzthe blood is drained from the body and a mix of is injected in its place antifreeze liquid and other chemicals to preserve organs (the “vitrification” process). Finally, the body is immersed in liquid nitrogen at almost 200 degrees below zero in one 3 meter high steel cage. In case the idea is appealing to you, don't worry about it blackout: Electricity is not needed for cryopreservation. And then let's remember that the center is in Switzerland, safe from earthquakes, tsunamis and wars for as long as the world can remember.
Is there any harm to the body?
Nowadays we are not certain of the success of this practice, but we can certainly ask ourselves what the probable damages could be. How will the bodies be brought back to normal temperature? How will they be resuscitated? Will vitrification damage organs? According to some scientists especially the brain could suffer damage to the meninges and synapses. The answers to these questions, however, will only be given by the future.
How much does cryopreservation cost
There are no time (nor financial) limits on the duration of cryopreservation. The company has a special phone, the Tomorrow Patient Foundation , which allocates the income (coming from other funds) to very low risk investments that yield 1-2% every year. Thanks to this fund, it is able to pay the costs of managing the cryopreservation of patients, who can “sleep” peacefully until the day medical technology is able to bring them back to life. Maybe you won't succeed, but if you have the possibility and the desire, why not try?
A practice for the rich
The Tomorrow Biostasis website is no different from many other sales sites, given that instead of selling more or less serious commercial products it offers “packages” for hibernation. Anyone who wishes can choose the option “total body” – that is, preserving the entire body – with an insurance coverage of up to 200 thousand; those who have less money to spend or who do not love their body but their brain can also preserve only the latter, paying 60 thousand euros. For those who want If you're thinking about it but you're in doubt (or you can't afford even the least expensive package), you can also make a monthly donation to research on the site.
In any case, the Swiss company is not the only one to offer this type of service: there are also American companies with it Cryonics And Achor and the Russian KrioRus, but don't expect better prices. Currently in the world there are 377 hibernating people (of which 15 are Italian!)and the waiting lists to have the same fate grow longer from year to year.
Of course, one wonders: why want to live a life in which the people dear to you will all be dead? Those who are preserved here generally love life, would like to experience many things (which cannot be done in a lifetime) and would like to see what the future will be like. A choice perhaps questionable for some, but not for those who request it: we are mainly talking about men between 25 and 45 who work as doctors, engineers, computer scientists and scientists.
Will being immortal remain a dream or will it become reality? Only time will be able to give the answer, but one thing is certain: this dream that once smelled of science fiction is now real, but it is clear that it will not be everyone's prerogative.
