Phil Bagnall

In the following viewpoint, Phil Bagnall argues that although the thought of returning to life in the future is appealing, it is impossible to revive a person who has undergone the cryonic suspension process. Low temperature cryonic freezing of brains and other organs irreversibly damages the tissues, he maintains. Bagnall is a science writer in Wallsend, Northumbria, England.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Bagnall, what damage does freezing cause to cells"
2. In the author’s view, what would be the advantages of returning to life in the future"
3. What happens to major organs when they are rapidly frozen to extremely low temperatures, according to the author"

What to buy my nearest and dearest this Christmas? I spent weeks worrying about it until someone suggested the gift of cryonic preservation...