The Frigid Prospect of Immortality
           The
formal pronouncement of death need not be the end anymore. Even when heart
activity and breathing have stopped, cells are still alive and undergoing
metabolic processes. Until they run out of oxygen and essential fuel, they will
keep living. If a cell is put in a very cold environment, reaction rates will
slow to a standstill, keeping the cell and all of its molecules frozen in
place. The same applies to tissues, and groups of cells; the principle can be
extended to entire organisms. If frozen organisms or parts of organisms are
re-warmed, life processes will continue. Contrary to what many people believe,
human low-temperature preservation, cryonics, is not a hoax. It is a viable
method of life extension, a way to induce an indefinite period of biostasis, or dormancy.
