German company offers to 'freeze' your body for $200,000 in hope of future revival

Death isn't the easiest or cheeriest subject to think about, but when it comes to making plans, there are generally only two options. However, with advancements in science and technology and a growing desire for immortality and longevity, one company is offering a bold alternative: cryopreservation.

As the name suggests, "cryo" involves a process similar to freezing your body at a steep cost of $200,000 – so that, in the distant future, you might be revived and given another shot at life.

A German company, Tomorrow Bio, is offering a full-body preservation process, or a brain-only option, for $80,000. This procedure involves cooling the body to -198 degrees Celsius, a process that induces a state known as biostasis, effectively preserving it for future revival.

While many associate cryopreservation with the concept of freezing, Tomorrow Bio clarifies that it's far more complex.

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Cryopreservation is a highly specialised process designed to prevent ice crystals from forming in the body, which could cause significant damage, the company explains. Instead of freezing, doctors use cryoprotectant solutions, akin to medical-grade antifreeze, to prevent this damage as the body reaches sub-zero temperatures.

Despite ongoing research, reviving a human after cryopreservation is not yet possible.

However, the company claims there is no fundamental biological reason why revival couldn't eventually become a reality. According to Tomorrow Bio, the process is maintained using liquid nitrogen, which naturally exists at −196°C. One key benefit of this is that it requires no electricity, ensuring protection against power outages and making long-term preservation economically feasible.

The company further explains that most of the funds are directed to a patient care trust, the Tomorrow Patient Foundation (TPF), which invests in very low-risk ventures that generate a 1-2 per cent return above inflation each year. This return, according to Tomorrow Bio, is sufficient to cover the costs of maintenance, such as the liquid nitrogen used in the preservation process. They assure that this strategy ensures the indefinite preservation of patients until revival becomes scientifically possible.

Though it's impossible to predict when or if revival will ever occur, Tomorrow Bio insists that there’s no biological reason why it couldn't happen in the future. They also highlight that, crucially, there is no time limit on how long someone can be cryopreserved without degradation, ensuring that patients can be preserved indefinitely, awaiting the breakthroughs of tomorrow.

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