Why Don't We Have Cryosleep Yet? Uncovering the Science Behind Cryogenic Freezing

Why don't we have cryosleep yet? This question sparks curiosity among many who dream of a future where humans can be frozen and awakened years later. The short answer lies in the complexities of water in the human body. Our bodies are composed largely of water, and when water freezes, it expands and forms sharp ice crystals. If a person were frozen today, these crystals would cause significant internal damage, shredding tissues and organs from the inside.

The solution seems straightforward—replace the water with a special antifreeze and cool the body quickly and evenly in a process called vitrification. However, the human body’s size and shape pose significant challenges. Current technology cannot replace the body's water content sufficiently and evenly with antifreeze without causing harm. Thus, instead of safely vitrifying, a person would either remain warm with toxic antifreeze or be filled with deadly ice crystals. The math and science simply don't align yet for freezing and reviving whole humans.

Interestingly, this technology does work for smaller biological ent***** like human eggs and embryos, which can be vitrified without forming destructive ice crystals. This advancement is also being applied in the field of organ preservation, potentially revolutionizing organ transplants in the future. With these developments, one day, cryosleep for humans might become a reality.

Comments from the public reflect varied perspectives. Some humorously suggest, "Just fill me up with antifreeze now, sounds hydrating." Another user ponders, “I cry to sleep all the time, why would you think it- oh. OH! cryOsleep, haha, right, ok. Yeah good question.” On a more serious note, a former Clinical Lab Technician explains, “We freeze red blood cells for long-term storage by slowly replacing the water in the blood with Glycerol, which doesn't form sharp crystals."

The concept of cryosleep also raises ethical and practical concerns. One commentator highlights the social implications: “There are also social problems, especially for using cryosleep as a means of dealing with a disease. Why should anyone keep the freezer running? Assuming they did, why should anyone spend the resources on waking you up and fixing your problems?”

Another intriguing solution comes from nature itself. Certain frogs have the ability to freeze and thaw due to special compounds in their blood acting as antifreeze. This natural phenomenon inspires scientific inquiry into potential applications for humans.

While the dream of cryosleep remains unfulfilled, the journey of discovery continues. As one user aptly puts it, “The human body as it is right now is still a result of natural evolution. Before we try to do super sci-fi stuff with it, our main goal would be to leverage bioscience to optimize the design, and find ways to modify the design to certain purposes.”

For those keen on diving deeper into this topic, further exploration and continued advancements in bioscience and genetic editing hold promise. Perhaps one day, the dream of cryosleep will become a reality, transforming the way we think about time, space travel, and human preservation.