Hibernation: concrete possibility or science fiction?
Is hibernation reality or science fiction? This is a question which a lot of people have been addressing, especially in the light of recent events in England, where a terminally ill teenager was put into hibernation in the hope of the future discovery of cure which could heal her: a process requested by the mother, blocked by the father and subsequently granted permission by London’s High Court.
Before we can decide if hibernation is possible, we must clarify exactly what it involves. Also known as cryogenic freezing, it consists of a technique based on the theory of being able to preserve living bodies for a long period of time thanks to extremely low external temperatures: the objective is that of slowing down the body’s vital functions, while maintaining them intact long-term.
The entire procedure is relatively simple and lasts between two and fifteen minutes. Immediately after death, the temperature of the head is lowered to -96°C, the blood is drained and an injection is given to stop the process of coagulation. After this some cryoprotectants are injected, the temperature is lowered to -196°C and the body is immersed in liquid nitrogen.
Anyone wondering if hibernation is reality or science fiction should consider at least two important points: the first is that the success of this process is not guaranteed (it is sufficient to recall that just the thawing of heart and kidneys causes considerable damage to those organs. Imagine what the effects could be if this procedure was applied to the entire body).
Secondly, we are talking about a rather expensive technique, with an average cost ranging from 150 to 200 thousand euros. The price falls to about 80 thousand euros if, for example, one chooses to hibernate the head only, but in the USA a total of just 250 people have opted to spend such a sum for the procedure (in Italy less than 10 so far).
According to the university lecturer Roberto Amici, we are absolutely duty-bound to distinguish between hibernation and cryopreservation: during hibernation a living being is kept at a temperature of around 0° C which allows its re-awakening, while with cryopreservation, the aim is to freeze and then thaw a body in order to then revive it.
Perhaps one day we will find a system to succeed in this too, but at the present time humanity is definitely not yet ready to deal with a process involving such macabre, disturbing scenarios.
Translated by Joanne Beckwith
