647. James Arrowood: What if cryonics actually works? (IN ENGLISH)

·27 min·2 clips

James Arrowood, CEO of Alcor, reveals he's heading to the Frozen Dead Guy Festival to educate 4,000 people on cryopreservation.

The episode begins with host Christian von Essen introducing James Arrowood, CEO of Alcor, who is jet-lagged and heading to the Frozen Dead Guy Festival. Arrowood defines cryonics as vitrification, not freezing, explaining it stops molecular movement to prevent decay. He details that death is a gradual cellular process, taking 12-36 hours, and Alcor deploys teams to start cooling immediately after legal death. The process uses expensive chemicals, costing around 40,000 euros per person, to prevent ice formation that damages cells. Arrowood emphasizes Alcor is a nonprofit, with 80% of its 1,500-1,700 members being middle-class, funding it through life insurance. He discusses research progress, noting they are close to breakthroughs, possibly within years, and have preserved over 250 patients, split between whole bodies and neuros. Arrowood addresses ethical concerns, stating revival would require cures for the original cause of death and likely occur decades later. He argues a future capable of revival would have advanced social services, not dystopian scenarios. The episode covers body replacement theory, where donor bodies without brains could be used, and mentions examples like heart transplants. Arrowood shares personal insights, including preserving his dog, and advises focusing on relationships and legacy. He praises Swedish culture and science, expressing interest in establishing a facility in Sweden for its optimal conditions. The conversation concludes with Arrowood recommending experts like Anders Sandberg and directing listeners to Alcor.org.

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