A German cryonics start-up, Tomorrow.Bio, offers a chance at a second life for $200,000. Is cryogenics within reach, or still an empty promise?

The Cryonics Procedure: Freezing the Future

Tomorrow.Bio, Europe’s first cryonics lab, aims to freeze patients after death with hopes of bringing them back to life in the future. The lab, co-founded by Emil Kendziorra, a former cancer researcher, has already cryopreserved “three or four” people and five pets, with nearly 700 more signed up. The company plans to expand operations to the US in 2025.

Skepticism and Hope: Reviving the Dead?

The concept​ оf cryonics has sparked controversy,​ as​ nо one has been successfully revived after cryopreservation. Critics, such​ as Clive Coen,​ a professor​ оf neuroscience, dismiss the idea​ as “preposterous” since there​ іs​ nо proof that complex human brains can​ be restored. However, Kendziorra remains optimistic, citing examples like Anna Bagenholm, who survived two hours​ оf clinical death after​ a ski accident​ іn 1999,​ as evidence that revival after​ a freezing state might​ be possible.

How Cryonics Works: The Freezing Process

The cryonics procedure involves cooling the body to sub-zero temperatures and replacing water in the cells with cryoprotective fluid to prevent ice crystal damage. Once cooled to -196°C, the body is stored in Switzerland. The goal is that, in the future, medical technology will have advanced enough to cure the illness that caused the patient’s death, allowing them to be revived.

Challenges and Skepticism: Is It Really Possible?

Despite the current lack of evidence in humans, Kendziorra points to animal studies that show promise. For instance, research on preserving the brains of mice and reviving organs in rodents offers hope for future applications in humans. Kendziorra believes that, while nothing is guaranteed, the technology may be able to work once it’s tried.

However, many in the scientific community are skeptical, including Coen, who argues that once a person dies and decomposition begins, the damage cannot be undone. He suggests that cryogenics might be more useful for preserving tissues and organs for later use rather than attempting to revive entire bodies.

Ethical Concerns and the Cost of Immortality

Tomorrow.Bio’s process has sparked debate over ethical concerns, particularly regarding the long-term storage of bodies. Kendziorra defends the concept, arguing that it’s no different from other controversial medical advances, such as organ transplants, which were once viewed skeptically but are now commonplace.

Though costly, with some patients funding the $200,000 fee through life insurance, Kendziorra believes the investment is justified for those seeking a chance at a second life. Many clients are under 60, and for some, like 51-year-old Louise Harrison, the idea of potentially coming back to life in the future feels like a form of time travel—offering a small chance of success over the certainty of death.

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