H.P. Lovecraft and the science of resuscitation
H.P. Lovecraft’s Herbert West is a man of science, not superstition. Following Ernst Haeckel, he believes that “all life is a chemical and psychical process,” that the soul is “a myth,” and that “unless actual decomposition has set in, a corpse fully equipped with organs may with suitable measures be set going again [...]
Preventing vegetative patients through cryonics
The blog Practical Ethics reports on pioneering research from a group of scientists in Cambridge who are using fMRI scans to study the brains of people who have been diagnosed as being in a vegetative condition. A Persistent Vegetative State (PVS) is a condition that is characterized by a state of wakefulness without [...]
Hypothermia, shivering and cryonics
The objective of cryonics stabilization is to arrest metabolism of the patient so that he can be preserved indefinitely until resuscitation and rejuvenation technologies are available. Induction of hypothermia is the principal method employed in cryonics to reduce metabolism, thereby slowing down the rate of all chemical reactions in the body, including the ischemia-induced cellular [...]
Neuroprotection for ischemic stroke
The journal Neuropharmacology recently published a new review of the current state of the art in neuroprotection for ischemic stroke. A strict definition of a neuroprotectant excludes agents that have as their goal circulatory patency or the reversal of vascular occlusion, such as thrombolytics and anticoagulants. As a consequence, the only medication that is approved [...]
Arthur C. Clark and cryonics
Arthur C. Clark ( 1917-2008 ) was no stranger to cryonics. The famous science fiction author even assisted the cryonics organization Alcor during its legal battles. As he states in a letter in support of cryonics, “Although no one can quantify the probability of cryonics working, I estimate it is at least 90% — and [...]
