58 replies to this topic

[quadclops]

Here's the link:
http://media.guardia...1824261,00.html

Five to show cancer victim being 'frozen'

Leigh Holmwood
Thursday July 20, 2006
MediaGuardian.co.uk


The first ever footage of a person being cryonically frozen is to be broadcast in a Channel Five documentary that will follow a woman who is terminally ill with cancer before and after her death.

The 60-minute film, Death in the Deep Freeze, will feature the American woman's "emotional" journey after she decides to be "frozen" and will include interviews with both her and her husband.

The film, a co-production with the National Geographic Channel in the US, will also show the "shocking and compelling" invasive procedure used to freeze her - the first time it has been filmed.

Independent production company Zig Zag, which is also making Channel 4's controversial documentary on the UK's first "masturbate-a-thon", spent months negotiating to secure access to the procedure, which has only been performed before on around 150 people.

Executive producer Jes Wilkins said: "We're really very proud of what we have achieved with this programme - the human and emotional journey we captured with one contributor in particular, filming prior to her death and the subsequent process of her preservation, in conjunction with the amazing scientific and ethical questions raised by this subject, makes for one of our most challenging and fascinating productions to date."

The programme, which was ordered by the Five controller of science, Justine Kershaw, is due to air as part of the Stranger than Fiction strand in a 9pm slot at the end of the month.

The controversial practice of cryonics, which is often mistakenly called cryogenics, involves "freezing" people in the hope that one day they will be brought back to life.

Nice that they had to put the "masturbate-a-thon" reference in there, kinda makes the cryonics program sound buffoonish by association. [!]

Still, it's good that cryonics is getting the coverage, and it sounds like a good program. Wish I could be in the UK to see it.

[Live Forever]

Hmm, I don't know if this will do a lot to get over the "creepiness factor" that some people feel about cryonics. On the other hand, they broadcast lyposuction, open heart surgeries, and everything else on television, so I don't know why cryonics should necessarily be any different.

Perhaps someone will Tivo it or something and post it online so those of us outside of the UK can see it as well.

[Mind]

Does anyone know which cryonics company they are filming?

[quadclops]

Possibly Alcor UK. It was the only reference to cryonics in the UK that I could find.

[Live Forever]

Possibly Alcor UK.  It was the only reference to cryonics in the UK that I could find.

But, the article says "The 60-minute film, Death in the Deep Freeze, will feature the American woman's "emotional" journey after she decides to be "frozen" and will include interviews with both her and her husband.", so are they filming the documentary in America, and just showing it in the UK, or is it an American woman living in the UK (in which case I don't know why they would have said "American")?

[quadclops]

After rereading the article, it looks like it's a UK production being filmed in the US for a UK audience. Therefore, probably taking place at Alcor, it being the most well known American cryonics provider.

[jaydfox]

I've heard back from Ben Best, and he says it wasn't CI. So that leaves Alcor, or...?

[Live Forever]

So that leaves Alcor, or...?

Transtime, or American Cryonics Society?

[Live Forever]

Apparently it is Alcor, according to this Longevity Meme story on it.

According to the story, it is a documentary produced by ZigZag, and there is some more info about it in the Alcor newsletter.

[thumb]

[quadclops]

ZigZag quote:

Imagine having your body placed in an aluminium can to be kept in deep freeze storage for hundreds of years. It sounds nightmarish but not for the hundreds of people who are paying thousands of dollars to sign up for cryonic preservation in a bid to defy the final human frontier - death.

"It sounds Nightmarish?" Why do people have such a knee-jerk negative view of cryonics? It just sounds like another medical procedure to me. Frankly, the idea of liposuction gives me more willies than cryonics. [lol]

[caston]

Was it an advanced procedure like vitrification?

Edited by caston, 21 July 2006 - 04:20 PM.

[jaydfox]

Imagine having your body placed in an aluminium can to be kept in deep freeze storage for hundreds of years. It sounds nightmarish but not for the hundreds of people who are paying thousands of dollars to sign up for cryonic preservation in a bid to defy the final human frontier - death.

Well, imagine being dead.

Gee, cryonics sounds kind of nice by comparison, if you don't believe in an afterlife. At least it's something!

And at any rate, most medical procedures creep me out more, because you're not clinically dead while they're being performed (clinically dead being used to refer to the state of low/zero brain activity during all but perhaps the first few minutes of a cryonics procedure). I've watched face lifts and reconstructions on TV where they peel the skin of your face off, starting at the forehead and proceeding down to the nose and cheeks. That's creepy!

[quadclops]

I've just emailed Matt, who lives in Wales, to ask if he could possibly record the program for us.

[MichaelAnissimov]

Get this on YouTube!

[Live Forever]

Get this on YouTube!

Unfortunately with YouTube's new rules about the length of time that is allowed (recently cutting it even further from 15 to 10 minutes), it would have to be split up into seperate parts to fit. It could be put on Google Vids or something, perhaps, but they are kind of strict sometimes on if you have rights to distribute a video.

[quadclops]

Another related article, this time in the [airquote] WEIRD [/airquote] section:
http://www.metro.co....79&in_page_id=2

WEIRD

Live death freeze show
Friday, July 21, 2006

The first-ever footage of a person Liquid nitrogen being cryonically frozen after death is to be shown on Channel Five.

The 60-minute film Death in the Deep Freeze will follow a woman who is terminally ill with cancer.

It will also show the 'shocking and compelling' invasive procedure used to freeze her, along with interviews while she is still alive.


There is no evidence that it works

The process, which has been performed on about 150 people, involves freezing the body in the hope that it can one day be brought back to life.

Soon after the person dies, water in the body is replaced with an antifreeze to stop cells deteriorating.

Once the water has been replaced, the body is cooled using dry ice until it reaches -130°C (-202°F) The final step is to put the body into a metal container and immerse it in a tank full of liquid nitrogen.

Independent production firm Zig Zag, which is also making the controversial documentary on Britain's first 'masturbate-a-thon' for Channel 4, spent months negotiating to secure access to the procedure.

Executive producer Jes Wilkins said: 'We're really very proud of what we have achieved with this programme. The human and emotional journey we captured and the ethical questions raised makes for one of our most fascinating productions to date.'

The Cryonics Institute in Michigan, where the film was made, has 70 bodies in liquid nitrogen. Its president Ben Best said he was happy for viewers to see the procedure.

'I hope this film opens people's eyes to the benefits of cryonics,' he added.

However, the Linacre Centre of Health Care Ethic, a Catholic science group, believes it is a waste of time.

Member Anthony McCarthy said: 'This is not a serious medical treatment.

I'm concerned people are spending vast amounts on a procedure where there is no evidence that it works.'

The programme is due to be shown at the end of the month.

I'm concerned people are spending vast amounts on a procedure where there is no evidence that it works.'

One might also pose such a statement about Catholicism. [!]

[Live Forever]

It always amazes me how many reasons people can come up with on why not to do what is wisest in terms of continuing to exist. (or extending their life) Really, it isn't all that much money when you think about it. Certain sugeries are more costly than a cryonics procedure.

[quadclops]

Especially since it can be easily afforded with life insurance. The idea that cryonics is only for the rich elites is just bogus, and has been for many years.

[Utnapishtim]

"spending vast amounts on a procedure where there is no evidence that it works"

This argument can be raised in all sorts of contexts.. In fact EVERY time we spend resources in the face of an uncertain outcomne...

"I will not spend money on stocks. There is no guarantee that they won't decline in value"

"I will not buy car insurance. There is no guarantee I will have an accident and if I don't it was a waste of money"

"I will not undergo chemotherapy. I dont know if will cure my cancer or not..."

All these examples are patently absurd because we make decisions to invest time or money despite the lack of a guaranteed outcome ALL THE TIME...

Life IS making decisions on the basis of incomplete information..

[quadclops]

Hey, nice to see ya' Utna, welcome back!

[jennifer chapma]

This documentary was filmed at Alcor and will air Monday, July 31st on Channel Five in the UK at 9pm. It will also air on the National Geographic channel in the US at a later date.

Jennifer Chapman
Alcor Marketing Director

[Live Forever]

This documentary was filmed at Alcor and will air Monday, July 31st on Channel Five in the UK at 9pm.  It will also air on the National Geographic channel in the US at a later date.

Jennifer Chapman
Alcor Marketing Director

Sweet! I get the National Geograhic channel. Can't wait.

[Grail]

I've heard back from Ben Best, and he says it wasn't CI. So that leaves Alcor, or...?

The Cryonics Institute in Michigan, where the film was made, has 70 bodies in liquid nitrogen. Its president Ben Best said he was happy for viewers to see the procedure.

This documentary was filmed at Alcor...

???

So...is this just CI commenting on a documentary filmed at Alcor?

[Live Forever]

So...is this just CI commenting on a documentary filmed at Alcor?

I think so. All the info says it was filmed at Alcor, except that one news report (the second one posted). I think they just mixed up where they filmed it.

[AdamDavis]

I've seen it advertised on Channel 5 a few times already; I'm really looking forward to it!

[quadclops]

Live Forever

Sweet! I get the National Geograhic channel. Can't wait.

Any chance you could record it for those of us not so blessed by NGC? [help] [cry]

[Live Forever]

I might could manage that when the date/time is announced for it to be aired. That is, if the UK people don't beat me to it.

[kevin]

likewise Utna.. good to see you..

[advancedatheist]

'This is not a serious medical treatment. I'm concerned people are spending vast amounts on a procedure where there is no evidence that it works.'

Ironically, most of the resources we consume in mainstream medicine don't do much good, either. Billionaires die pretty much on schedule, whereas to the best of my knowledge none of the well-documented supercentenarians had much in the way of financial success or net worth.

[benbest]

The Cryonics Institute in Michigan, where the film was made, has 70 bodies in liquid nitrogen. Its president Ben Best said he was happy for viewers to see the procedure.

'I hope this film opens people's eyes to the benefits of cryonics,' he added.

As I said earlier, the film was not made at CI. The quote is a fabrication,
although I do "hope this film opens people's eyes to the benefits of cryonics."