An Australian man in his 80s has become the first person to be cryogenically frozen in the Southern Hemisphere, according to ABC News Australia. This process, carried out by Southern Cryonics, aims to preserve his body with the hope of bringing him back to life in the future.
The man, now referred to as “Patient One,” passed away in Sydney on May 12, 2024. Shortly after his death, a complex preservation process began, lasting about 10 hours. Southern Cryonics announced this historic achievement and described it as a major milestone in the field of cryonics.
Cryonics is the process of preserving a person’s body at extremely low temperatures after they have been declared legally dead. The goal is to keep the body in a state where future medical advancements might make it possible to bring the person back to life and cure any illnesses they have.
The term “cryonics” comes from the Greek word “kyros,” meaning cold. Though it has often been featured in science fiction movies, such as the story of Captain America being frozen in ice, the science behind cryonics is still developing.
After Patient One passed away in a Sydney hospital, his body was moved to the hospital’s cold room and packed in ice to lower his temperature to around 6 degrees Celsius. Doctors then pumped a special liquid, similar to antifreeze, through his body to preserve his cells and reduce the temperature further.
The patient was wrapped in a special sleeping bag and packed in dry ice, reducing his temperature to around minus 80 degrees Celsius. The next day, his body was transported to Southern Cryonics’ facility in Holbrook, where it was cooled to minus 200 degrees Celsius using liquid nitrogen.
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The procedure was carefully planned and executed to ensure the best possible preservation. Philip Rhoades, the facility manager, said, “It was very stressful. There are many steps in the process, and things could have gone wrong if we weren’t properly prepared.”
The process of cryopreservation is not cheap. Patient One’s family paid $170,000 for the procedure, along with additional costs for the medical team and specialized equipment.
Southern Cryonics’ Holbrook facility currently has one storage tank, called a dewar, that can hold up to four bodies. The site can eventually be expanded to accommodate up to 40 bodies if needed.
The company has been preparing for cryonic suspensions since February 2023, but Patient One’s case came unexpectedly. “His family contacted us out of the blue, and we had just a week to prepare,” Rhoades explained.
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While the idea of cryonics is fascinating, many scientists are skeptical about its feasibility. Bruce Thompson, a health science expert from the University of Melbourne, said, “I know the work just to unthaw some cells that are just sitting in a small little test tube and then making them alive again is a significant process,” told ABC News.
“Doing that for a whole human body — and it died for a reason at the end of the day — and then reversing that and then reviving that is a very, very long time away,” he said.
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Gary Bryant, another researcher from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, raised concerns about the chemicals used in cryonics, describing them as toxic. He compared the process to embalming, saying “It makes the body look whole but inside everything is destroyed,” Dr Bryant told The Sydney Morning Herald.
Despite these challenges, supporters of cryonics believe that future medical advancements could make revival possible. Southern Cryonics collaborated with experts like Aaron Drake from Arizona Medical Science to develop detailed protocols for the freezing process.
“We’re thrilled to announce our first successful cryonics suspension with Patient 1! Thanks to our incredible team and partners for their swift and dedicated efforts. A major milestone for Southern Cryonics,” the company posted on X.
The success of Patient One’s cryonic suspension was made possible by a dedicated team of professionals. The team included clinical perfusionists, doctors, and other experts who worked tirelessly for hours to stabilize the body.
After being transported to the Holbrook facility, Patient One was gradually cooled to liquid nitrogen temperatures in a computer-controlled chamber. Finally, his body was placed in a vacuum-sealed storage pod, where it will remain until future technology allows for revival.
Southern Cryonics expressed pride in their achievement, saying, “This successful operation was a true team effort. It demonstrates our dedication and professionalism in advancing cryonics.”
