Memories emerge intact from cryogenic resurrection machine
14 replies, posted
[url]http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/206713-memories-emerge-intact-from-cryogenic-resurrection-machine[/url]
[IMG]http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Cryonics1-640x353.jpg[/IMG]
[QUOTE]Many animals can survive prolonged periods of exposure to freezing temperatures. To do this, they run a sophisticated ‘freeze’ program on the way into the frozen state, and another ‘thaw’ program on the way out. Although there have been advances in freezing and thawing animals that lack these built-in cold survival responses, it hasn’t been made clear whether important higher-level functions, like memory, would emerge unscathed. Two researchers, Natasha Vita-More and Daniel Barranco, have now proven for the first time that cryogenically-suspended worms retain specific acquired memories after reanimation.
To do this, the [URL="http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/rej.2014.1636"]researchers first trained[/URL] the worms to move to specific areas when they smelled benzaldehyde (a component of almond oil). After mastering this new task, the worms were bathed in a glycerol-based cryoprotectant solution and put into to a deep freeze. When the worms were thawed, they remembered their job and moved to the right spot when benzaldehyde wafted in. The researchers compared two different methods of cooling: The first one was based on the old-fashioned way to freeze cells or organs — a low concentration of cryoprotectant and a slow cool/thaw cycle. The second way was a more aggressive procedure known as vitrification.
Vitrification requires a higher concentration of cryoprotectant, but does the freezing and thawing so fast that damaging ice crystals don’t have much chance to form. Only about a third of the worms that are frozen by the slow method actually survive, while almost all of those vitrified will survive. Surprisingly, Vita-More and Barranco found that worms frozen by either method retained the proper memory for what to do.
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That's pretty damn fantastic. Anything that furthers our understanding of memory is pretty damn great, it's a shame that in reading the article we're still a ways off from doing this with humans.
I never imagined you could actually train worms to do anything
Worms... it's like saying cockroaches can survive a nuclear explosion, so one day people might be able too. Call me when they get to mouse level or something.
[QUOTE=AntonioR;47834103]Worms... it's like saying cockroaches can survive a nuclear explosion, so one day people might be able too. Call me when they get to mouse level or something.[/QUOTE]
did you think they were just going to stop this research after concluding that worms retained their memories after being cryogenically frozen and reanimated? of course they're going to move to mice and other animals. don't be silly.
[QUOTE=Quark:;47834351]did you think they were just going to stop this research after concluding that worms retained their memories after being cryogenically frozen and reanimated? of course they're going to move to mice and other animals. don't be silly.[/QUOTE]
"Alright guys we successfully trained worms, froze and unfroze them looks like our job here is done."
[QUOTE=AntonioR;47834103]Worms... it's like saying cockroaches can survive a nuclear explosion, so one day people might be able too. Call me when they get to mouse level or something.[/QUOTE]
Lmao I'm a cynical fucker but you're taking it to a whole new level. They'll call you when they do mice, dogs, horses, and then when they're testing people they'll call you one last time to freeze your ass and never thaw you out.
[QUOTE=JCDentonUNATCO;47834410]Lmao I'm a cynical fucker but you're taking it to a whole new level. They'll call you when they do mice, dogs, horses, and then when they're testing people they'll call you one last time to freeze your ass and never thaw you out.[/QUOTE]
It appears as *puts on shades* you just lost your cool.
[QUOTE=AntonioR;47834103]Worms... it's like saying cockroaches can survive a nuclear explosion, so one day people might be able too. Call me when they get to mouse level or something.[/QUOTE]
honestly if you can freeze mice, you can definitely freeze humans. The differences between the mammals aren't that massive.
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;47834022]I never imagined you could actually train worms to do anything[/QUOTE]
It's all classical conditioning (actually instrumental in this case). All animals get trained this way from worms to apes dogs and even humans learn that way.
[QUOTE=AntonioR;47834103]Worms... it's like saying cockroaches can survive a nuclear explosion, so one day people might be able too. Call me when they get to mouse level or something.[/QUOTE]
Cockroaches cannot survive the actual explosion- A nuclear explosion vaporizes everything.
Your misconception stems from the known fact that cockroaches can survive lethal doses of radiation and survive as a species whereas other species would cease to exist. That doesn't mean they can survive tens of millions of degrees plus an inhospitable inferno.
Its a step forward, hopefully in the future human cryostasis will be a thing.
[QUOTE=Samg381;47834858]Cockroaches cannot survive the actual explosion- A nuclear explosion vaporizes everything.
Your misconception stems from the known fact that cockroaches can survive lethal doses of radiation and survive as a species whereas other species would cease to exist. That doesn't mean they can survive tens of millions of degrees plus an inhospitable inferno.[/QUOTE]
thank you for informing us
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;47834022]I never imagined you could actually train worms to do anything[/QUOTE]
it's easy, just crack your whip whenever they do something wrong
[QUOTE=AntonioR;47834103]Worms... it's like saying cockroaches can survive a nuclear explosion, so one day people might be able too. Call me when they get to mouse level or something.[/QUOTE]
This is still important advancement in freezing and unfreezing living beings while protecting their memories. To just throw it out because it isn't humans is really stupid.
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