ELYSIAN Magazine

Can Cryonics Really Bring Back the Dead?

by Amber Edwards

We’ve all heard of cryotherapy—the wellness trend where brief exposure to subzero temperatures promises everything from pain relief to a boost in mood. But what if you could take that concept to the extreme, preserving not just your body’s well-being but its very existence? Enter cryonics, the process of freezing the human body after death with the hope that one day, science will find a way to bring it back to life.

Cryonics, derived from the Greek word kryos (meaning “cold”), aims to halt biological decay immediately after legal death by cooling the body to an ultra-low temperature, typically using liquid nitrogen. The premise is simple: if future technology can cure the disease or repair the injury that caused death, a cryopreserved body could theoretically be restored to life. While this might sound like the stuff of science fiction, cryonics is a burgeoning industry attracting affluent individuals who dream of a second chance at life—or even immortality.

The practice of cryonics involves preserving a legally dead person at a temperature far below freezing in hopes of someday being revived and rejuvenated after advances in science have provided a cure for their ailment. CNN published an article on a notable case highlighting the emotional and ethical complexities of cryonics that involves a 14-year-old girl from the United Kingdom who, in 2016, successfully petitioned the High Court to have her body cryopreserved. Stricken with a rare form of cancer, she expressed a fervent hope that advancements in science might one day allow her to live again. Following her death, her body was transported to a cryonics facility in the United States, where it was preserved eight days after her passing. This case illustrates both the deeply personal motivations and the logistical challenges involved in cryonics.

As of now, more than 500 people have chosen to be cryopreserved globally, with thousands more signed up for the procedure. While the idea of preserving a body indefinitely may seem appealing, it’s worth noting that no one has ever been successfully revived after cryopreservation. The main challenge lies in cellular damage caused by ice crystals during the freezing process, which scientists hope to overcome with advances in nanotechnology. These microscopic machines could one day repair cells at an atomic level, potentially restoring the body to a healthy state.

Despite the technological hurdles, the cryonics industry is gaining traction among the wealthy and forward-thinking. Many see it as a form of life insurance: a gamble on the future of science and technology. Others are motivated by deeply personal reasons, such as the desire to reunite with loved ones in a distant future or to witness a world transformed by advancements they can only dream of today.

Cryonics doesn’t come cheap. The process typically costs between $80,000 and $200,000, depending on whether you opt to preserve your entire body or just your brain (a practice known as neuropreservation). Three major companies leading the field include:

  1. Alcor Life Extension Foundation (Scottsdale, Arizona) – The most well-known provider, offering whole-body and neuropreservation services.

  2. Cryonics Institute (Clinton Township, Michigan) – A more affordable option, with over 200 preserved members to date.

  3. Tomorrow Biostasis (Berlin, Germany) – Europe’s leading cryonics provider, focusing on accessibility and transparency.

While cryonics raises ethical, philosophical, and scientific questions, one thing is clear: for a select group of visionary thinkers, the hope of beating death is worth the wait in cold storage. Only time will tell if their investment will thaw into reality or remain frozen in the realm of possibility.

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