Ted Williams, Baseball Legend And Human Popsicle
According to Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly, the late Ted Williams is ìspending his time in a one-story cement building in a warehouse district next to the Scottsdale, Ariz., airport, frozen, upside down, waiting for science to bring him back from the dead.î
Of course, they donít say ìdeadî there at Alcor Life Extension Foundation, ìAmericaís largest cryonics company.î They call it ìthe end of his first life cycle.î They also refuse to say whether or not Williams is one of their frozen guests. But, according to Williamsí daughter, thatís where heís spending the end of his first life cycle -- in a tank ìwith at least two other bodies and probably eight severed heads.î
Late-breaking severed head report: Sports Illustrated now reports that Ted's head and body are being stored separately while his son is dunned for freezing costs.
(via Romeneskoís letters page)
Ever the optimists, these scientists. There has been only one case that I've heard of that successfully reattached a severed head. Apparently, they anticipate this being done on a regular basis if they can cyrogenically freeze someone, separate their head, and still remain optimistic about bringing them back from hybernation. I can see the ads now: "Accidentally decapitated? Don't lose your head over over it! ..."
Patrick at August 13, 2003 2:46 PM
I've read about these cryogenically-preserved heads. Really, have these people thought this through? Suppose that some time in the future they come up with a viable re-animation process. Wouldn't the subject be seriously "physically challenged?" The quality of life would be difficult to imagine. Years and years of being a head on a pillow would get old fast, even with guest appearances on the Maury Povich show.
Ernie G at August 14, 2003 6:25 PM
The idea, as I understand it, is that they anticipate the development of robotic nanotechnology.
Freezing causes ice crystals to form and damage cells. They remove as much water from the corpsicle as possible, but my understanding is that some crystalization occurs anyway. But, theoretically, an army of "nanobots" controlled by a medical supercomputer could be used to repair every cell in the body from the inside.
Presumeably, with that level of technology, it will be a simple matter to clone and grow a new body in vitro, and graft the head onto it. Therefore some people have only their heads preserved, which is cheaper.
Heck, they could make the patient 18 again while they're at it.
This is not to say that I'm a fan of cryonic suspension. For one thing, this reanimation technology is all hypothetical. It is plausible, but we can't be certain it will ever be developed. And there is a serious risk that your head may not be preserved that long anyway. They might mishandle you in the meantime. And if the company ever goes out of business, you'll get thrown out.
And it's expensive. Instead of gambling all that money on a risky attempt to live on, you could just give it to your family or a charity and let other people benefit from it.
All the Best, Charles
GodlessRose at August 15, 2003 3:57 AM