Cryogenics: Is It Worth Waiting For? :: essays research papers fc

Cryogenics Is It Worth Waiting For     Imagine being frozen in time to escape a deadly illness, then gettingwarmed when a cure is found. There is question on whether cryogenic methodsshould be used. To richly understand cryogenics a knowledge of ice-cold, backgroundinformation on some branches of cryogenics, some problems with cryopresevation,and different peoples views towards cryogenics is needed."Cold is usually considered hostile to mankind. most(prenominal) people hate cold andwith reasons." If not careful, cold bottom be deadly to animal and human life, butit erect also help cure, because cold bodies perform functions slower (Kavaler 16-17). Measurement of temperature is extremely important in cryogenics and thetemperatures must be exact. The standard for scientific temperature measurementis the honey oil scale. On the Kelvin scale absolute zero has a value of zerodegrees on the thermometer. In theory no substance can be lowered to or belowzer o degrees Kelvin or absolute zero. Temperatures in cryobiology range fromzero degrees Celsius--water freezes--to just above negative two hundred andseventy triplet point sixteen degrees Celsius--absolute zero. The word"Cryogenics" comes from the Greek word kryos meaning cold (CryogenicsRaintree 127, Kavaler 16). The science of cryobiology was first recognized inthe early xix sixties. Cryobiology is the study of the effects ofextremely low temperatures on living animals and plants. The chief concern incryobiology is to preserve living matter for future use. This method can alsobe called cryopreservation. Cryotherapy is the use of extreme cold in treatment.The first trials of cryotherapy proved with great results (CryobiologyComptons 1, McGrady 97).     Frozen cells can be kept alive for very long periods of time in a stateof suspended animation. Almost immediately after rapid thawing, the frozencells regain normal activity. Cooling of the frame causes a loss of feeling,therefore it can be used as anesthesia in surgery. Since certain drugs dontaffect healthy cells at low temperatures, the drugs can be safely used againstcancerous tumors in the body. Cryogenics also helps in the preservation andstorage of human tissues. Tissues such as eye corneas, skin, and blood thatwere rapidly frozen can be stored in banks for later use. Then skin can begrafted to burn victims and eye corneas can replace damaged ones. Thanks toCryobiology blood can be frozen and stored for indefinitely for many years asopposed to only three weeks as it was before cryogenic technology was used.Surgeons can use a cryoscapel, freezing tips, to deaden or destroy tissue withgreat accuracy and little bloodbath (Cryogenics Academic 350, CryobiologyWorld Book 929).