OK, I want give cryogenics a go. How do I sign up?
First you need to check if it is legal in your country. Many countries have legislation that restricts the preservation of dead bodies. French law, for example, states that a corpse must be buried, cremated or formally donated to science. British Columbia in Canada has specific legislation that forbids people from being cryogenically frozen there after death, but allows a body to be stored that has been preserved elsewhere.
There are no cryonics facilities in Europe, so you will have to register with a facility abroad. In the UK, there are no restrictions on moving a body overseas, but to do this you will need a form, which can be provided by a coroner or registrar. You can become a member of , a charity that provides volunteer standby and stabilisation services to cryonics patients. The charity鈥檚 employees will begin the first stages of cryopreservation and arrange delivery to your chosen facility. Some funeral directors can also provide these initial cool-down services.
Once you鈥檝e got a handle on the legalities, you must choose a cryonics organisation. The in Michigan and in Arizona are the two most prominent in the US. Russia has a cryonics facility called KrioRus. In Australia, a cryonics facility is being built by All of these facilities accept international members.
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You can talk to people at the organisation about the process, and may be able to take a tour around the facilities. You will need to sign a contract, which gives the cryonics firm the legal right to preserve your body, and you鈥檒l have to arrange payment for the procedure.
You should also talk about your decision to friends and family. If they are not aware of your wishes before your death, it may delay your preservation (see 鈥�I want to put your death on ice so that you can live again鈥�).
How much does cryopreservation cost?
In the early days of cryonics, the continued storage of preserved bodies was maintained by periodic payments from relatives of the deceased. This resulted in a number of patients having to be defrosted when the money ran out. Now people pay for everything in advance, commonly through life insurance policies.
Prices vary 鈥� full-body storage is more expensive than a neuropreservation in which only your head is stored. A full body costs between $28,000 and $220,000 to preserve depending on where you sign up. Neuropreservation costs between $18,000 and $80,000.
Like most things in life, you seem to get what you pay for in death. Some packages include only basic preservation and maintenance, others include standby teams at your bedside and transportation services. This shortens the time between death and preservation 鈥� something cryonics researchers believe is vital for getting the best preservation possible, and thus the highest chance of reanimation if that becomes feasible. Some packages include a 鈥渞eanimation fund鈥� or a permanent storage box for personal items.
Not every facility鈥檚 techniques are the same, and they often use different cryoprotectants to preserve your body. In short 鈥� do your research before picking what seems like a bargain.
How will they know I鈥檝e died?
Speed is crucial if you want to give yourself the best chance of preservation. If you have a terminal illness you may want to make arrangements to relocate closer to your cryonics organisation, or organise for a team to be by your bedside as and when it is necessary.
Obviously, you can鈥檛 always predict when death will come, but telling your family and friends of your wishes and providing them with the relevant contact details of your organisation will help them make speedy arrangements with funeral directors or hospitals when your time is up.
Some organisations, like Alcor, provide their members with an ID bracelet and necklace engraved with emergency instructions.
Can I freeze myself before I die naturally to increase my chances of a perfectly preserved brain?
It鈥檚 radical, but a smart idea. 鈥淵ou would undoubtedly get the best outcome in terms of quality of preservation if you were able to do this,鈥� says , president and CEO at Alcor. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 not yet legal to do so.鈥�
There is precedent for this desire 鈥� mathematician before brain cancer stripped away his quality of life 鈥� however, he lost his case.
His cancer went into remission shortly afterwards. For now, a person must be declared legally dead before any preservation can take place.
What happens if I sign up but my body isn鈥檛 found for days, or I die in an accident in which my brain or body is destroyed?
Most organisations will give you the chance to state what you want to happen given various scenarios. Most of Alcor鈥檚 members say 鈥渨hatever state I am in, do what you can鈥�, says More. If this is impossible 鈥� say your remains cannot be found 鈥� your contract will become void and your life insurance policy will go to a second named beneficiary.
Has this ever happened?
More says they had one member who died in a helicopter crash and whose brain had been severely damaged. 鈥淚 never say never, but I鈥檓 pretty certain that person isn鈥檛 ever coming back,鈥� he says. Nevertheless, it was the wishes of that person to be preserved in whatever state he was discovered. Another member鈥檚 body was never found after dying in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.
Why would I want to preserve my body if it is riddled with cancer or old and broken?
In the same way that we can cure heart problems or infections that 100 years ago would have killed those who had them, cryonicists believe that future medicine and technology will have progressed to a point at which the things we die of today can be cured and our body rejuvenated. Many expect nanotechnology to be relevant to the successful reanimation of humans.
How will they know when to reanimate me?
No cryonics organisation promises to be able to reanimate its members. However, if the time comes that we have the technology to do so, an attempt will be made to reanimate your body. Some people have an additional clause in their contracts stating that they wish to be reanimated only if it is possible to reanimate the rest of their family at the same time.
Can I take my pet dog with me?
Yes, some cryonics organisations allow you to preserve your pets. Prices vary depending on the size of the animal involved.
