A qucik search on Google Scholar with such queries as cryonic, cryoprotectant, cryostasis, neuropreservation confirms my suspicion that there is very little, if any, academic research on cryonics. I realize that being generally supportive of MIRI’s mission, Less Wrong community is probably not very judgmental of non-academic science, and I may be biased, being from academia myself, but I believe that despite all problems, any field of study largely benefits from being a field of academic study. That makes it easier to get funding; that makes the results more likely to be noticed, verified and elaborated on by other experts, as well as taught to students; that makesit more likely to be seriously considered by the general public and governmental officials. The last point is particularly important, since on one hand, with the current quasi-Ponzi mechanism of funding, the position of preserved patients is secured by the arrival of new members, and on the other hand, a large legislative action is required to make cryonics reliable: train the doctors, give the patients more legal protection than the legal protection of graves, and eventually get it covered by health insurance policies or single payer systems.
As for the method itself, it frankly looks inadequate as well. I do believe that it’s a good bet worth taking, but so did Egyptian pharaohs. And they lost, because their method of preservation turned out to be useless. I’m well aware of all the considerations about information theory, nanorobotics and brain scanning, but improving our freezing technologies to the extent that otherwise viable organisms could be brought back to life without further neural repairs seems to be the thing we should totally be doing.
Thus, I want to see this field develop. I want to see at least once a year a study concerning with cryonic preservation of neural tissue in a peer-reviewed journal with high impact factor. And before I die I want to at least see a healthy chimpanzee being cooled to the temperature of liquid nitrogen, and then brought back to life without losing any of its cognitive abilities.
What can we do about it? Is there an organization that is willing to collect donations and fund at least one academic study in this field? Can we use some crowdfunding platform and start such campaign? Can we pitch it to Calico?
The last point is particularly important, since on one hand, with the current quasi-Ponzi mechanism of funding, the position of preserved patients is secured by the arrival of new members.
Downvoted because if I remember correctly, this is wrong; the cost of preservation of a particular person includes a lump of money big enough for the interest to pay for their maintenance. If I remember incorrectly and someone points it out, I will rescind my downvote.
A qucik search on Google Scholar with such queries as cryonic, cryoprotectant, cryostasis, neuropreservation confirms my suspicion that there is very little, if any, academic research on cryonics. I realize that being generally supportive of MIRI’s mission, Less Wrong community is probably not very judgmental of non-academic science, and I may be biased, being from academia myself, but I believe that despite all problems, any field of study largely benefits from being a field of academic study. That makes it easier to get funding; that makes the results more likely to be noticed, verified and elaborated on by other experts, as well as taught to students; that makesit more likely to be seriously considered by the general public and governmental officials. The last point is particularly important, since on one hand, with the current quasi-Ponzi mechanism of funding, the position of preserved patients is secured by the arrival of new members, and on the other hand, a large legislative action is required to make cryonics reliable: train the doctors, give the patients more legal protection than the legal protection of graves, and eventually get it covered by health insurance policies or single payer systems.
As for the method itself, it frankly looks inadequate as well. I do believe that it’s a good bet worth taking, but so did Egyptian pharaohs. And they lost, because their method of preservation turned out to be useless. I’m well aware of all the considerations about information theory, nanorobotics and brain scanning, but improving our freezing technologies to the extent that otherwise viable organisms could be brought back to life without further neural repairs seems to be the thing we should totally be doing.
Thus, I want to see this field develop. I want to see at least once a year a study concerning with cryonic preservation of neural tissue in a peer-reviewed journal with high impact factor. And before I die I want to at least see a healthy chimpanzee being cooled to the temperature of liquid nitrogen, and then brought back to life without losing any of its cognitive abilities.
What can we do about it? Is there an organization that is willing to collect donations and fund at least one academic study in this field? Can we use some crowdfunding platform and start such campaign? Can we pitch it to Calico?
I think the nearest thing is the Brain Preservation Foundation. If you want to donate money towards that purpose, they are a good address.
Downvoted because if I remember correctly, this is wrong; the cost of preservation of a particular person includes a lump of money big enough for the interest to pay for their maintenance. If I remember incorrectly and someone points it out, I will rescind my downvote.