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Our History

Moments that shaped the Cryonics Institute

1962 – ROBERT ETTINGER INTRODUCES THE WORLD TO CRYONICS


Robert Chester Wilson Ettinger (born December 4, 1918 cryopreserved 23 July, 2011)

Launching the cryonics movement

In 1947 while in the hospital for his battle wounds, Ettinger discovered that research in the area of cryogenics was being done by French biologist Jean Rostand; Ettinger wrote a short story elucidating the concept of human cryopreservation as a pathway to more sophisticated future medical technology: in effect, a form of one-way medical time travel. The story, “The Penultimate Trump,” was published in the March 1948 issue of Startling Stories and definitively establishes Ettinger’s priority as the first person to have promulgated the cryonics paradigm, principally that contemporary medical/legal definitions of death are relative, not absolute, and are critically dependent upon the sophistication of available medical technology. Thus, a person apparently dead of a heart attack in a tribal village in the Amazon will soon become unequivocally so, whereas the same person with the same condition in the emergency department of large, industrialized city’s hospital, might well be resuscitated and continue a long and healthy life. Ettinger observed that criteria for death will vary not just from place to place, but from time to time, and so today’s corpse could be tomorrow’s patient.

Ettinger waited expectantly for prominent scientists or physicians to come to the same conclusion he had, and to take a position of public advocacy. By 1960, Ettinger finally made the scientific case for the idea, which had always been in the back of his mind. Ettinger was 42 years old and said he was increasingly aware of his own mortality. In what has been characterized as an historically important mid-life crisis, Ettinger summarized the idea of cryonics in a few pages, with the emphasis on life insurance, and sent this to approximately 200 people whom he selected from Who’s Who in America. The response was very small, and it was clear that a much longer exposition was needed — mostly to counter cultural bias. Ettinger correctly saw that people, even the intellectually, financially and socially distinguished, would have to be educated into understanding his belief that dying is usually gradual and could be a reversible process, and that freezing damage is so limited (even though fatal by present criteria) that its reversibility demands relatively little in future progress. Ettinger soon made an even more troubling discovery, principally that “a great many people have to be coaxed into admitting that life is better than death, healthy is better than sick, smart is better than stupid, and immortality might be worth the trouble!”

In 1962, Ettinger privately published a preliminary version of The Prospect of Immortality, in which he said that future technological advances could be used to bring people back to life. This finally attracted attention of a major publisher, which sent a copy to Isaac Asimov; Asimov said that the science behind cryonics was sound, and the manuscript was approved for a 1964 Doubleday hardcover and various subsequent editions which launched cryonics. The book became a selection of the Book of the Month Club and was published in nine languages.

Ettinger became an “overnight” media celebrity, discussed in The New York Times, Time, Newsweek, Paris Match, Der Spiegel, Christian Century, and dozens of other periodicals. He appeared on television with David Frost, Johnny Carson, Steve Allen, and others. Ettinger also spoke on radio programs coast-to-coast to promote the idea of human cryopreservation.

Since the commercial publication of The Prospect of Immortality, all those active in cryonics today can trace their involvement, directly or indirectly, to the publication of one or both of Ettinger’s books. Ettinger was the first, most articulate, and most scientifically credible person to argue the idea of cryonics, therefore he has been credited with the founding of today’s cryonics movement.

1976 – ROBERT ETTINGER FOUNDS THE CRYONICS INSTITUTE

Cryonics Institute formed

Then in 1976 a separate organization was formed: the Cryonics Institute, to offer cryostasis services: careful preparation, cooling, and long term patient care in liquid nitrogen.

Our goal was maximum reliability and affordability. And we achieved it. The Cryonics Institute offers clear-cut advantages over all other providers. Such as:

The Most Affordable Prices Available Anywhere

Our prices are lower than any other organization — in fact, the most affordable prices anywhere in the world. Our minimum whole-body suspension fee is $28,000. (For members at a distance, transportation costs and local help will be additional.) Our $28,000 fee is a one-time only payment, with no subsequent charges. It’s easily funded by insurance or other means, and funds the best care available for our member patients. (For last-minute cases, where the patient was not signed up beforehand, we ordinarily charge $35,000 rather than $28,000, if arrangements can be worked out at all.)

Does that lower fee mean lower quality patient care or services? No. The major part of other organizations’ fees are earmarked for investment provisions totally unrelated to patient care and preparation. Methods and research differ, but overall we believe our procedures and policies give a better chance for patient survival than any other organization’s — and this web site will show you the detailed reasons why.

See for yourself. Read our FAQ and see The CI Advantage that compares the different cryonics organizations and why we think CI gives you and those you love the best possible chance for future survival. Remember: most CI members can afford the higher prices of other organizations for themselves and their families — and often do give more, in bequests and donations. But we’ve chosen CI — because we know it’s our best bet. And yours.

Stability, Safety, And Security

We have a unique, proven track record of financial security and stability. Price stability too. CI is the only organization with no debt, no stockholders, and no landlords. We own our patient care facilities outright, and all our officers and directors donate their services voluntarily. We’re one of the oldest cryonics organizations in existence — and the only such organization that has never raised its prices, even in high-inflation times like the late 70s and early 80s. Adjusting for inflation, our prices have actually steadily declined, and we expect this to continue.

Financially, we are the soundest cryonics organization in existence.

Rapid On-The-Spot Care

We have a uniquely flexible and rapid system of emergency patient care based on universally available networks of mortuary assistance (and often medical assistance). This means that in the critical early stages, we can bring qualified professionals to you faster than any other system — to you, and to travelers, vacationers, and members throughout most of the world. In particular, London-based F.A. Albin & Sons funeral directors are trained, practiced, equipped, and prepared to fly a team anywhere in Europe on short notice to help European CI members or tourists and business travelers.

Your Best And Most Comprehensive Free Information Resource

And finally, we provide a comprehensive source of information here on CI’s website. The site you’re reading will lead you to everything you need to know about the subject of cryonics, and more. It offers you free information, free books, the latest news, hundreds of links to thousands of sources covering health, science, cutting-edge medicine, nanotechnology, financial help and resources, and supportive people and organizations. And if that’s not enough? We personally will answer any question you might have about cryonics or the Cryonics Institute directly by email, or direct you to someone who can. In the world of cryonics, this is the source to visit, and the place to be.

2004 –Vitrification of biological tissues adds significant protection to cryopreserved patients

CI introduces vitrification protocols.

Researchers Greg Fahy and William F. Rall helped introduce vitrification to reproductive cryopreservation in the mid-1980s. As of 2000, researchers claim vitrification provides the benefits of cryopreservation without damage due to ice crystal formation. For clinical cryopreservation, vitrification usually requires the addition of cryoprotectants prior to cooling. The cryoprotectants act like antifreeze: they decrease the freezing temperature. They also increase the viscosity. Instead of crystallizing, the syrupy solution becomes an amorphous ice—- i.e., it vitrifies. Rather than a phase change from liquid to solid by crystallization, the amorphous state is like a “solid liquid”, and the transformation is over a small temperature range described as the “glass transition” temperature.

Vitrification of water is promoted by rapid cooling, and can be achieved without cryoprotectants by an extremely rapid decrease of temperature (megakelvins per second). The rate that is required to attain glassy state in pure water was considered to be impossible until 2005.

Two conditions usually required to allow vitrification are an increase of the viscosity and a decrease of the freezing temperature. Many solutes do both, but larger molecules generally have larger effect, particularly on viscosity. Rapid cooling also promotes vitrification.

For established methods of cryopreservation, the solute must penetrate the cell membrane in order to achieve increased viscosity and decrease freezing temperature inside the cell. Sugars do not readily permeate through the membrane. Those solutes that do, such as dimethyl sulfoxide, a common cryoprotectant, are often toxic in intense concentration. One of the difficult compromises of vitrifying cryopreservation concerns limiting the damage produced by the cryoprotectant itself due to cryoprotectant toxicity. Mixtures of cryoprotectants and the use of ice blockers have enabled the Twenty-First Century Medicine company to vitrify a rabbit kidney to -135°C with their proprietary vitrification mixture. Upon rewarming, the kidney was transplanted successfully into a rabbit, with complete functionality and viability, able to sustain the rabbit indefinitely as the sole functioning kidney.[

CI-VM-1 Cryoprotectant and CI-Carrier Solution

The Cryonics Institute (CI) has been using a mixture for vitrification of the brains of cryopreserved pets and humans since August 2004, when it first did an experimental perfusion of the dog of a CI Member. The vitrification mixture goes by the name CI−VM−1 (CI Vitrification Mixture one) and was developed by CI Staff Cryobiologist Yuri Pichugin, PhD. The first published use of the vitrification mixture was in February 2005 with the vitrification of the dog Thor. The first human use was in August 2005 with the the vitrification of the 69th CI Patient.

TODAY

Where we are today

The Cryonics Institute is the worlds leading non profit cryonics organization bringing state of the art cryogenic suspensions to the public at the most affordable prices. CI was founded by the father of cryonics Robert C Ettinger in 1976 as a means to preserve life at liquid nitrogen temperatures. As the future unveils newer and more sophisticated medical nanotechnology it is hoped that some day people preserved by CI may be restored to youth and health. We are dedicated to educating the public about cryonics and its mission to extend life.