Sügavkülmutuse

Sügavkülmutus, commonly known as cryonics, is a speculative scientific practice of preserving a legally dead human body at extremely low temperatures with the hope that medical science will advance to a point where resuscitation and cure of the cause of death are possible. The process typically involves rapid cooling of the body, followed by the replacement of blood with cryoprotective agents to prevent ice crystal formation, and then storage in liquid nitrogen.

The primary goal of cryonics is to maintain cellular structure and information content in the brain and other vital organs, so that future medical technologies might be able to repair damage and reverse the aging process or the cause of death. Proponents believe that if the body can be preserved well enough, it is a matter of future technological capability rather than an absolute impossibility for revival.

Cryonics is not currently recognized as a scientific field by the mainstream scientific community. Critics point to significant challenges, including the irreversible damage caused by the freezing process itself, the lack of understanding of consciousness and what is necessary to preserve it, and the highly speculative nature of future medical advancements. Despite these criticisms, a small number of individuals and organizations are dedicated to the practice, with procedures performed on a limited basis. The long-term success of cryonics remains unproven and is a subject of ongoing debate.