About this page
editThis page is an attempt to develop a comprehensive list of scientists who have expressed opposition or support for Cryonics. More specifically, each scientist listed here has expressed an opinion that either cryonic resuscitation is "unlikely to work or impossible", or has expressed an opinion that "cryonics could work". This list is a result of a rigorous search, and it is intended to be as comprehensive as possible. If you would like to contribute to this list, please feel welcome to post suggested additions or removals at the bottom of this page.
Search criteria
editThis list was compiled according to the following search criteria. These criteria are intended to be as neutral as possible:
Search Criteria:
- The source (the work) is published.
- The work mentions "cryonics".
- The work is written by a scientist, or a group of scientists, or quotes a scientist.
- The name of the scientist is included.
- Our definition of a "scientist" is liberal. Examples, Has a scientific education, is a science writer, works in a scientific field, etc.
- Each scientist is listed only once. (Multiple works by the same person are not listed.)
- For the opposing material list, the scientist states or implies that cryonics is unlikely to work.
- For the supporting material list, the scientist states or implies that cryonics could work.
Scientists opposing cryonics
editTotal: 5 scientists.
Michael Hendricks (Neuroscientist), "The false science of cryonics"
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/541311/the-false-science-of-cryonics/
Dr Dayong Gao (Cryobiologist), "Frozen body: Can we return from the dead?"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/0/23695785
Michio Kaku (Physicist), "Why Cryogenics Is Bogus"
http://bigthink.com/videos/why-cryogenics-is-bogus
David Gorski (Surgical M.D.), "Cold reality versus the wishful thinking of cryonics"
https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/cold-reality-versus-the-wishful-thinking-of-cryonics/
Michael Shermer (Science Writer), "Nano Nonsense & Cryonics"
http://www.michaelshermer.com/2001/09/nano-nonsense-and-cryonics/
Scientists supporting cryonics
editTotal, 76 scientists.
69 Scientists, "Scientists’ Open Letter on Cryonics"
http://www.evidencebasedcryonics.org/scientists-open-letter-on-cryonics/
Ben Best (Degrees in Pharmacy and Physics), "PubMed, Scientific justification of cryonics practice."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18321197
Robert C. Ettinger (Professor, Physics and Mathematics), "The Prospect of Immortality"
Book, ISBN 9780974347233, first published 1962.
Ray Kurzweil (Science writer), "Ray Kurzweil’s Plan: Never Die"
http://www.wired.com/2002/11/ray-kurzweils-plan-never-die/
Mark Roth (Biochemist), "Suspended animation is within our grasp"
http://www.ted.com/talks/mark_roth_suspended_animation?language=en
Sebastian Seung PhD (Physicist), "Connectomics and Cryonics"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzNcqIqyCb0
Michael R. Rose(PhD Biology), "Cryonics and controlling aging"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JedexJnWL0Y
Gregory Fahy, Ph.D. (Cryobiologist), "Cryopreservation for life extension and life enhancement"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JletZIowzGw
Recent cryonics articles from nationwide news organizations
editNational Geographic (April 2016), "Crossing Over: How Science Is Redefining Life and Death"
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2016/04/dying-death-brain-dead-body-consciousness-science/
New York Times (September 2015), "A Dying Young Woman’s Hope in Cryonics and a Future"
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/13/us/cancer-immortality-cryogenics.html?_r=0
BBC Future (August 2014), "Cryopreservation: 'I freeze people to cheat death'"
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140821-i-will-be-frozen-when-i-die
New York Times Magazine (July 2010), "Until Cryonics Do Us Part"
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/11/magazine/11cryonics-t.html
The New Yorker (January 2010), "The Iceman"
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/01/25/the-iceman
Meta discussion, about scientists speaking for or against cryonics
editPaul Crowley, Open letter to the scientific critics of cryonics ("Please criticize cryonics"):
http://blog.ciphergoth.org/blog/2010/02/14/an-open-letter-to-scientific-critics-of-cryonics/
Some of the search sources used for compiling these lists
editRationalWiki:Cryonics page, read the 73 references.
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Cryonics#Scientific_evidence_for_efficacy_of_current_practice
Wikipedia:Cryonics page, read the 69 references.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryonics
A survey of anti-cryonics writing.
http://lesswrong.com/lw/1r0/a_survey_of_anticryonics_writing/
Google searches:
"Cryonics won't work", "Scientists against cryonics", "Statements on cryonics", etc.