GLASS, NOT ICE

Summary from the TLDR newsletter

Cryopreservation is a technology that brings tissue into a temporary glassy state to pause biological time so that patients can have more time. It is used in IVF and to help people recover from chemotherapy through hematopoietic stem cell transplants. The technology uses controlled-rate freezers, perfusion systems, novel cryoprotectants, and rewarming devices to preserve complex biological systems. The field is aiming for whole-body medical hibernation, but there are many fundamental questions that must be answered before we can start heading toward that goal.