Archive for 2007

Alcor Conference - Ralph Merkle

Saturday, October 6th, 2007

[Alcor Conference - Table of Contents]
[Recap]
Nanotechnology. Once only an obscure buzzword among fringe techno-progressives, nanotechnology has emerged both as a multi-billion dollar industry and a controversial technology that could lead, according to some, to a prosperous future of plenty, or, according to others, the destruction of the Earth. The word has become increasingly [...]


Alcor Conference - Luncheon

Saturday, October 6th, 2007

[Alcor Conference - Table of Contents]
It is time for lunch. These breaks, lunches, and dinners are includes in the conference package and sponsored and funded by organizations or wealthier Alcor members. These sponsors have been mentioned between talks.


Alcor Conference - Tanya Jones

Saturday, October 6th, 2007

[Alcor Conference - Table of Contents]
[Recap]
Tanya Jones is the COO of Alcor. She has also participated in over half of the members’ cryopreservations. She talked about “Improving Cryopreservation Technology at Alcor.”
The moment the heart stops and legal death begins, Alcor must act quickly to stabilize the brain and body. This is most [...]


Alcor Conference - Stephen Van Sickle

Saturday, October 6th, 2007

[Alcor Conference - Table of Contents]
[Recap]
The next speaker from Alcor was Stephen Van Sickle, Executive Director, discussing the “Research Direction at Alcor.”
There was a time when Alcor did not conduct much research, focusing instead on their services and gaining new members. However, eventually Alcor leaders decided that research could definitely help the institution.
Van Sickle [...]


Alcor Conference - First Break

Saturday, October 6th, 2007

[Alcor Conference - Table of Contents]
[Commentary]
Break time! Time to mingle, network, eat snacks, or catchup on liveblogging…
The accommodations are very nice here at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort. About 100 people are in the audience, with water, gum drops, and notepads on the tables. Three livebloggers are sitting here at a table on [...]


Alcor Conference - Brian Wowk

Saturday, October 6th, 2007

[Alcor Conference - Table of Contents]
[Recap]
Brian Wowk discussed cryobiology, the field of cold tolerance in nature and cryopreservation of biological material. In nature, organism survive freezing temperatures by ice avoidance and ice tolerance, using cellular “antifreeze” or cryoprotectants. By studying these organism, researchers hope to apply their findings to improving cryonics.
The use of [...]


Alcor Conference - Steve Bridges

Saturday, October 6th, 2007

[Alcor Conference - Table of Contents]
[Recap]
A former Alcor president, Steve Bridges opened up the conference with a question: “Why are we here?” His answer: “Alive = Good. Dead = Bad.”
Over the past 100 years, technology and medicine have improved our ability to revive people who early were considered clinically dead. Although [...]


Alcor Conference - Introduction

Saturday, October 6th, 2007

[Alcor Conference - Table of Contents]
When people die, some of them are buried in a plot in a graveyard. Others choose cremation their remains kept in an urn (perhaps after some of their remains are sprinkled in favorite locations around the Earth.) For even fewer, they might donate their body for research, with [...]


Frontier Channel at 7th Alcor Conference

Thursday, October 4th, 2007

[Alcor Conference - Table of Contents]
Frontier Channel will be liveblogging this weekend from Scottsdale, AZ, USA for the 7th Alcor Conference. The three day event will bring together experts in cryobiology, life extension research, and nanotechnology to present the latest information about cryonics technology, politics, ethics, and law. Check out Frontier Channel throughout [...]


Dawn Launch Coverage

Thursday, September 27th, 2007

[Launch Coverage] | [Commentary]
2:10 AM PST
Too early! But despite the small hours of the morning here I am very excited for the big launch of the Dawn spacecraft planned for this morning. NASA TV playing in Windows Media Player, the oven heating for some waffles, and a groggy yet excited brain…here we go!
2:18 [...]