The foundation of cryonics: preservation
Cryopreservation is the science of cooling and storing biological material at ultra-low temperatures. For cryonics, this means preserving the structure of the human brain and body after death, without causing the cellular damage typical of freezing.
But how is that possible? Through a highly coordinated set of technologies that work together to protect, vitrify, and maintain the body indefinitely.
Cryoprotectants
The first major innovation in cryopreservation technology is the use of cryoprotective agents (CPAs). These solutions replace water inside cells to prevent ice crystals from forming — the main cause of damage during freezing.
Modern CPAs are designed to:
- Be low-toxicity
- Penetrate tissue rapidly
- Balance osmotic pressures
- Work at ultra-low temperatures
CPAs are perfused into the body shortly after legal death, replacing blood and intracellular fluid to prepare the body for vitrification.
Vitrification
Traditional freezing forms ice, which damages cell membranes and organ structures. Vitrification, by contrast, is a process that cools tissues so quickly and uniformly that water turns into a glass-like solid rather than ice.
Vitrification is key to preserving:
- The brain’s connectome (structure of neural connections)
- Organs like the heart, liver, and kidneys
- Overall cellular integrity
This makes revival theoretically possible if future medicine can reverse disease and repair minor cryoprotectant toxicity.
Controlled cooling systems
Cooling a human body to -196°C is no small feat. Cryopreservation uses computer-controlled cooling systems that gradually lower temperature in stages:
- From body temperature to -79°C using dry ice
- Then to -130°C to begin vitrification
- Finally to -196°C using liquid nitrogen
This staged cooling prevents thermal shock, which could cause fracturing or stress to tissues.
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Dewars and long-term storage
Once fully vitrified, the patient is stored in a vacuum-insulated dewar filled with liquid nitrogen. These containers are designed to:
- Maintain a stable -196°C environment
- Function without electricity
- Be manually topped off with liquid nitrogen
- Resist mechanical failure and external damage
Tomorrow.bio uses dewars located at the European Biostasis Foundation (EBF) in Switzerland — a facility designed for multi-century preservation.
Monitoring and backup systems
Cryopreservation technology also includes:
- Liquid nitrogen level sensors
- Redundant monitoring systems
- Temperature alarms and failsafes
- Scheduled manual inspections
While the cooling itself is passive, the infrastructure ensures the continuity and reliability of long-term care.
What future technologies are in development?
Several areas of innovation could transform cryopreservation in the years ahead:
- Improved CPAs that reduce toxicity even further
- Nanotechnology for cellular repair at the molecular level
- Organ rewarming techniques using nanoparticles and magnetic fields
- Digital connectome preservation and brain emulation
- Bioprinting of tissues and organs to assist with potential revival
These tools could turn preserved bodies into patients waiting for treatment, not simply bodies in stasis.
Why technology matters
Cryonics is often misunderstood as speculative or sci-fi. But the underlying technology is very real — grounded in decades of cryobiology, thermodynamics, and materials science.
The biggest difference between today and tomorrow is not whether revival is possible — but how well we preserve what we already have.
High-quality cryopreservation technology ensures that we don’t lose the chance before it’s even available.
About Tomorrow.bio
At Tomorrow.bio, we are dedicated to advancing the science of cryopreservation with the goal of giving people and pets a second chance at life. As Europe’s leading cryopreservation provider, we focus on rapid, high-quality standby, stabilization, and storage of terminal patients — preserving them until future medical technologies may allow revival and treatment.
Our mission is to make cryopreservation a reliable and accessible option for everyone. We believe that no life — human or animal — should end because current medical capabilities fall short.
📧 Contact us at: hello@tomorrow.bio
🌐 Visit our website: www.tomorrow.bio
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