Listen and subscribe to our podcast: Via Apple Podcasts |Spotify | Stitcher
Minnesotans are used to life in subzero temperatures, but what about death?
Reader Sharon Carlson wanted to know if Minnesota is home to any cryonics facilities, where bodies are kept frozen until theoretical future technology is able to reanimate them. She posed the question to Curious Minnesota, the Star Tribune's reader-powered reporting project.
"I'm just kind of having a hard time with the idea of dying," said the 62-year-old Andover resident. "I'm not philosophical I'm kind of pissed off about it."
There are actually only two cryonics facilities in the nation, in Arizona and Michigan. But a number of Minnesotans have made plans to be frozen, and a passionate group of cryonics enthusiasts is trying to ease the transition from life to long-term storage.
Minnesota Cryonics Rapid Response counts about two dozen members. Most if not all have signed up to spend their postmortem days in large freezers at either the Cryonics Institute (CI) in Clinton Township, Mich., or the Alcor Life Extension Foundation in Scottsdale, Ariz.
When a member dies, time is of the essence.
Other Rapid Response members must stabilize the body as quickly as possible, usually by packing it in ice. The body must be kept cold until it can be shipped to CI or Alcor, where it will be "vitrified" at about 320 degrees below zero Fahrenheit in a vacuum-sealed tube of liquid nitrogen. The response team may administer anti-coagulants to keep the blood from thickening after death.
"Our biggest expense last year was about $150 for ice," said Chris Petersen of Minneapolis, a board member of the rapid response group. "Knowing where your closest 24-hour gas station with an ice freezer has turned out to be a big role."
'Freeze Hank'
Last year, the group launched a GoFundMe fundraiser to help get one of their members, Hank, to the Michigan facility after his death. The "Freeze Hank" campaign didn't raise much only about $2,300. But when Hank died earlier this year, members successfully preserved his body and got it to Michigan.
The primary goal of the fundraiser was to raise money for long-term needs such as an emergency vehicle and monitors that could alert the group when a member's vital functions are failing. They also hope to develop educational materials for paramedics, funeral homes and hospitals, to teach them how to process the body of someone who wants cryonic preservation.
Freezing and reanimation is a frequent theme of Hollywood, playing a prominent role in movies like "Captain America," "Demolition Man" and "Austin Powers."In fact, many of the members of the Rapid Response group were first drawn to cryonics through sci-fi.
"I've always liked the harder part of sci-fi, where the science is plausible," Petersen said. He admits that when he first heard about cryonics, "I thought it sounded kind of quacky."
But Petersen and others maintain that what seems out of the realm of possibility today may be routine in the future. Nobody thought humans could fly; then the Wright brothers did it. A century ago, nobody would have believed a heart transplant was possible, yet today they're not even newsworthy.
Advances in cellular and molecular science are opening doors to medical advances that would have been unheard of even a decade ago, said Dennis Kowalski, president of CI. Scientists routinely freeze and thaw human eggs, sperm, embryos and tissue samples with no ill effects. Who's to say a whole body couldn't be frozen and thawed successfully?
"I don't believe we're at the zenith of human technological knowledge," Kowalski said. "We're going to be smarter in the future than we are today."
Health care of the future
CI has about 200 bodies in vitrification right now, Kowalski said, along with about 200 pets. Walt Disney is not among them, despite rumors that the famed animator had his head frozen after death a rumor Kowalski said is false.
But there is at least one famous person at his facility, Kowalski said, although he can't reveal who it is.
CI, which is a nonprofit organization, requires a donation of $28,000 to be stored at the facility indefinitely, Kowalski said. Many members donate more, with the money often coming from life insurance policies. The institute invests the donations in mutual funds, which are expected to provide money to keep the facility operating into the future.
Of course, if you're frozen after dying of cancer, you will still have a cancer-ridden body when you wake up.
"The issue is when you wake up, they have to fix what killed you," said Gene Shaver of St. Louis Park, another rapid response team member. But that's where members believe science will find a way.
"Let's be very honest here," Petersen said. "This is a long shot that we're doing. But if humanity and civilization is still around 500 or 1,000 years from now, if they have the technology to bring someone back to life, they probably have the technology to do nanotechnology or gene therapy" to treat the cause of death.
And for cryonics advocates, that long shot is better than nothing at all.
As Kowalski put it: "I can be sure that if you don't try, you're going to be worm dirt."
If you'd like to submit a Curious Minnesota question, fill out the form below:
Read more Curious Minnesota stories:
How many people live their entire life in Minnesota?
How did early settlers survive their first Minnesota winters?
What's the truth behind Minnesota's Kensington Runestone?
Who is the oldest living Minnesotan and what is their story?
Are Minnesota's health care costs really the highest in the nation?
Where does Twin Cities electricity come from and how is it delivered to homes?
Correction: Previous versions of this article misspelled Chris Petersens name.
John Reinan is a news reporter covering Greater Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. For the Star Tribune, he's also covered the western Twin Cities suburbs, as well as marketing, advertising and consumer news. He's been a reporter for more than 20 years and also did a stint at a marketing agency.
More:
Frozen for the future: Does Minnesota have any cryonics facilities? - Minneapolis Star Tribune
- Choosing Regular Food to Extend Longevity - CounterPunch.org - CounterPunch - April 18th, 2024 [April 18th, 2024]
- "I love the club, I'm really happy here" - Manchester United star opens up on life at club amid contract extension uncertainty - Sportskeeda - March 31st, 2023 [March 31st, 2023]
- Life Extension review - 7 facts you should know [APRIL 2022] - February 5th, 2023 [February 5th, 2023]
- Biomedical Research & Longevity Society - Wikipedia - January 27th, 2023 [January 27th, 2023]
- NAD+ Cell Regenerator and Resveratrol Elite - Life Extension - December 26th, 2022 [December 26th, 2022]
- FLORASSIST GI with Phage Technology - Life Extension - December 12th, 2022 [December 12th, 2022]
- Magnesium Citrate 100 mg, 100 capsules - Life Extension - November 5th, 2022 [November 5th, 2022]
- AMPK Metabolic Activator, 30 tablets - Life Extension - November 5th, 2022 [November 5th, 2022]
- Germany nuclear plants life extension approved by Cabinet - DW (English) - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Biohacking: What is it, types and hacks to try for beginners - Medical News Today - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- 'Biggest day of my life': Kevin Porter Jr., Rockets react to extension - Rockets Wire - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Postharvest quality solution for tomatoes-on-the-vine - hortidaily.com - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- JZZ Technologies, Inc. and Subsidiary LION Development Group, Enter into JV Agreement with affiliate of Hospitality Development Group, Inc. of Florida... - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- 'I love the city': QB Zach Collaros inks 3-year contract extension to stay with Blue Bombers through 2025 - CBC.ca - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- MSU-led team studying expansion of controlled environment culinary herb production across US - Michigan State University - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- 60 seconds with...Wayne Dunn, Babcock International - Professional Engineering - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Wind energy operators must address these 5 areas to exploit the full value of monitoring - Windpower Engineering - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Extension shares tips for practicing fire safety in the fall - The Hartselle Enquirer - Hartselle Enquirer - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- FIRST Robotics Prepares to Extend Its Reach to More Vermont Students - Seven Days - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Plant Life Cycles - Penn State Extension - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- FDA Authorizes Shelf Life Extension for Certain Lots of Paxlovid - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- EDF considers extending life of two UK nuclear plants due to energy crisis - The Guardian - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Rittenbach among Extension team professionals honored - Jamestown Sun | News, weather, sports from Jamestown North Dakota - The Jamestown Sun - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- What is the circular economy and why is it essential for real sustainability? - Schroders - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- 44 national and international NGOs call for renewal and expansion of truce in Yemen [EN/AR] - Yemen - ReliefWeb - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- University City Townhomes residents now have until end of the year to find new low-income housing - The Philadelphia Inquirer - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- New Eskom board: Business groups happy with mix of skills - News24 - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Full circle on the farm: Penn State alum returns to help educate Pa. growers - Pennsylvania State University - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Task Force: Blacks are owed hundreds of thousands - CalMatters - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- ProLynx appoints Richard King as Chief Executive Officer and Chris Ehrlich as Board Director - GlobeNewswire - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Analysis: Behind Trump's media deal, a vote where only yes will do - Reuters - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Evusheld long-acting antibody combination approved in the EU for the treatment of COVID-19 | Antibodies | News Channels - PipelineReview.com - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Action Hampshire get behind Sustainable Future Fund to reduce waste in business - Hampshire Chronicle - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Living the dream - Farm Progress - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Teck and Agnico Eagle Announce Agreement on the San Nicols Copper-Zinc Project located in Zacatecas, Mexico - PR Newswire - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Most actively traded companies on the Toronto Stock Exchange - Winnipeg Free Press - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Giants Urged to Give Extension to 24-Year-Old Defender - Heavy.com - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Russias MiG-31 Fighter That Fired Hypersonic Missiles On Ukraine Conducted Drills In The Stratosphere - EurAsian Times - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Jaguar Mining Reports Confirmed Continuity of Mineralization at Pilar Gold Mine - Life of Mine Extension Drilling to Follow - Yahoo Finance - September 14th, 2022 [September 14th, 2022]
- Easy meals, life-saving knife skills part of West Texas Fair & Rodeo Spotlight Kitchen - Abilene Reporter-News - September 14th, 2022 [September 14th, 2022]
- Beyond Bulletproof: Why Billionaires Are Chasing Everlasting Health - Newsweek - September 14th, 2022 [September 14th, 2022]
- Did California Truly Extend the Life of Diablo Canyon? Only Time Will Tell. - JD Supra - September 14th, 2022 [September 14th, 2022]
- Youth Mental Health First Aid Trainings Offered This Fall - Iowa State University - September 14th, 2022 [September 14th, 2022]
- Finland to Extend Validity of Residence Permits for Ukrainian Refugees Under Temporary Protection - SchengenVisaInfo.com - SchengenVisaInfo.com - September 14th, 2022 [September 14th, 2022]
- Wildfire Smoke's Affect on Potato Crops Being Studied - University of Idaho - September 14th, 2022 [September 14th, 2022]
- National Weather Service Northern Indiana radar will be down beginning Monday for upgrades - WANE - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Renault Trucks Will Give New Life to Old Parts - Ward's Auto - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Stop the stigma and step in - Farm Progress - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Empire Wind and WCS Announce Extension of Historic Near Real-Time Acoustic Marine Monitoring Project In New York Bight - Business Wire - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Media Advisory: Chalk River Laboratories Officially Breaks Ground on One of the Largest Nuclear Research Facilities Ever Constructed in Canada -... - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- PFAS pilot study gets yet another extension, scope and cost of another project reduced - wausaupilotandreview.com - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Predators extend deal with Bally Sports South - Awful Announcing - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- WWYDW: Reactions to the Canucks' J.T. Miller extension - Canucks Army - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- NASA's Artemis rocket makers explain that it's a marathon and a sprint - The Register - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Food supply chains are susceptible to fraud and adulteration more than ever, warns Kerry - Food Ingredients First - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Reprieve for The White Lady as iconic food truck gets 12-month licence extension - Stuff - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Gypsy Moth Biology & Life Cycle - University of Illinois Extension - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- AgriLife's Johanna Hicks and Team Honored at 2022 National Health Outreach Conference - frontporchnewstexas.com - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- Harmony Gold to maintain dividends despite facing two years of heavy capital bills - Miningmx - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- Malaysian, Thai companies ink MOU to explore cooperation in Mechanised Infantry Fighting Vehicle life extension programme - The Edge Markets MY - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- Coveris previews new packaging solutions targeting enhanced performance and recyclability - Packaging Europe - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- KPF and heatherwick studio to extend singapore airport as cluster of lush 'neighborhoods' - Designboom - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- Understanding Tax Liens. Could the IRS seize your car? - finehomesandliving.com - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- Extension of Legacy Trail in Tyler to continue - Tyler Morning Telegraph - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- KRUG: Extension learning opportunities around the corner - Hays Post - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Half-Life 2 VR is coming, here's how you can get it - Win.gg - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Transplant technology: United Therapeutics 3D-printing of human organs focused on every breath you take - Manchester Ink Link - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Serena Williams Interview on Leaving Tennis and Her Legacy - TIME - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Thousands of photos captured by everyday Australians reveal the secrets of our marine life as oceans warm - The Conversation - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Empathy and Solidarity: On Alejandro Varela's The Town of Babylon - lareviewofbooks - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- How many people continue their stay in the UK or apply to stay permanently? - GOV.UK - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Anti-Aging Conference and Olympia Weekend Set for Back-to-Back Weekends in Vegas - Muscle & Fitness - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- A son steps aboard the Eagle and into his father's world - Journal Inquirer - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Class to teach healthy living for those with chronic conditions - The Maryville Forum - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- New application for disinfection of fresh-cut fruits by means ozone in the packaging - hortidaily.com - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Meatless Meats and Smokeless Smokes - Equities News - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Command & Control Success: Fireground Commander: Understanding the Impact - Firehouse - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Five Ways This Survey About Maine's Wellness is Absolutely Bogus - WJBQ - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]
- Center for Advanced Innovation in Agriculture, Virginia Cooperative Extension help Virginia Tech showcase its land-grant mission at 2022 Virginia Ag... - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]
- Anti-ageing tips: Here's how to rewind your biological clock - Hindustan Times - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]