[extropy-chat] The Nanogirl News~

[Damien Broderick]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Gina Miller" <nanogirl at halcyon.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2003 9:07 PM

> Some scientists see cryonics' potential. Most scientists scoff at the idea
of freezing the dead and reviving them years after their hearts stop
beating. They see it as a sign that some people will grasp at anything that
offers the smallest shot at immortality. But several prominent experts say
surviving cryonics is not only possible, it's probable. The debate, they
insist, is in the details. (The Arizona Republic
10/20/03)http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/1020alcor-sc
ience.html

I emailed the Arizona Republic writer, kerry.fehr-snyder at arizonarepublic.com
:

=====================

In the Arizona Republic, you cite Mark O. Martin, `a geneticist at
Occidental College in Los Angeles', as asking skeptically:

"Couldn't nanotechnology bring back mummies then?" and add:

`Most scientists would agree the answer is no, even though Egyptian
mummification is one of the oldest quests for immortality.'

In fact, *all* scientists with any sort of clue would agree that the answer
is no--not because of the limitations of predictable nanotechnology, but
because Egyptian mummies had their brains removed, pulled out bit by bit
through their nostrils. Those puppies are *never* going to hunt, and it's no
reflection upon either cryonics or nanotechnology.

By the way, despite a fair degree of familiarity with this field, I have
*never* heard of cryonicists, not even that sub-group affiliated with Alcor,
call themselves `Alcorians'. I think someone might have been pulling your
leg about that.

==============

A Helpful Pedant
[maybe I'm wrong about the Alcorians?]