The Ethical Concerns Surrounding Cryonics
In 2016, a 14-year-old girl in the United States passed away and her family, hoping for her revival in the future, fought a legal battle to keep her body in cryonic suspension. This particular case sparked a multitude of ethical debates. What if the cryonic process proved to be successful? The girl’s family and everyone she knew would have moved on, leaving her in a vastly different world. However, some researchers expressed deep concerns about the potential consequences of reviving someone years later, particularly if the freezing process was not scientifically sound and resulted in severe neurological damage.
Furthermore, both cryonics facilities in the United States have faced accusations of manipulating grieving families. In certain instances, the bodies of individuals seeking cryogenic suspension were not frozen until over a month after their death due to disagreements among the families regarding the procedure. Unfortunately, this delay allowed for significant decomposition and damage caused by the embalming process typically associated with traditional burials. Despite these complications, the cryonics facilities still accepted the bodies and payments from the families.
“True” Cryogenics
Cryogenics, in contrast to cryonics, has made substantial progress as a scientific field. It has achieved various successes, including advancements in long-term food preservation, medical procedures, construction, and manufacturing. Notably, NASA has established multiple cryogenics labs. Exciting developments in the medical industry suggest that freezing organs for extended periods, ranging from months to years, could become a feasible option in the near future. This progress is particularly significant because current medical technology limits organ viability to a mere one to three days.