The myth vs. the reality of cryo freezing
The idea of cryo freezing has captivated imaginations for decades — popularized by films, comics, and stories in which people are frozen and revived centuries later, unchanged. But in reality, there’s no such process as “cryo freezing” that resembles the instant-deep-freeze we often see in media.
Instead, the real scientific process is called cryopreservation, and it’s not about freezing — it’s about vitrifying biological tissue to prevent ice formation and cellular damage.
So, what is cryopreservation?
Cryopreservation is a medical process that cools the human body (or animal body) to ultra-low temperatures — typically -196°C using liquid nitrogen — after legal death has been declared. The goal is to preserve tissues and brain structure in a stable, ice-free state that may allow for future revival if medical technologies advance sufficiently.
This is not a method for pausing life, but a way to preserve identity and biological integrity after legal death.
Why cryo freezing is misleading
Freezing causes ice crystals to form. In biological tissue, that’s incredibly destructive — especially in sensitive organs like the brain.
True cryonics doesn’t involve traditional freezing. It uses:
- Cryoprotective agents to replace water in the body’s cells
- Controlled cooling to gradually bring the body to vitrification temperature
- Liquid nitrogen storage to keep the body suspended in a stable, non-decaying state
This process prevents the damage that conventional freezing would cause — and that's why cryo freezing is a misleading term.
What does the process involve?
At Tomorrow.bio, human cryopreservation includes several medically coordinated steps:
- Standby & monitoring
A team is on alert as the patient nears death to begin the procedure as quickly as possible. - Stabilization post-legal death
Cooling begins immediately after legal death is declared. Circulation and oxygenation are temporarily maintained to reduce ischemic damage. - Cryoprotective perfusion
The body is perfused with a cryoprotective solution to replace bodily fluids and protect against ice. - Vitrification
The body is slowly cooled to -196°C, at which point molecular movement nearly stops, halting decay. - Storage
Patients are stored in insulated dewars filled with liquid nitrogen — these require no electricity and can safely preserve the body indefinitely.
Is revival possible?
Not yet. Cryopreservation is a bet on future medicine — a way to preserve what we cannot yet repair or cure.
The theory is that future technologies (e.g., molecular nanotechnology, tissue regeneration, or whole-brain emulation) might one day be able to:
- Repair damage from disease and aging
- Reverse the causes of death
- Restore preserved brains to consciousness and function
But no one claims this is guaranteed — it's about possibility, not certainty.
Who uses cryopreservation?
Cryopreservation is for people who:
- Are facing a terminal diagnosis
- Believe that future medicine may achieve what today’s can’t
- Want to preserve their identity and memories
- Prefer to act rather than accept final biological death
It’s also now available for pets, through services like those offered by Tomorrow.bio.
Why Tomorrow.bio doesn’t say “cryo freezing”
At Tomorrow.bio, we make a clear distinction:
- We don’t freeze patients.
- We don’t promise future revival.
- We preserve people and animals in the best way current science allows — through vitrification.
We use terms like cryopreservation, biostasis, and vitrification because they reflect the real process, not a fictional one.
Using “cryo freezing” risks confusion — and we believe that clarity matters when it comes to end-of-life decisions.
What about pets?
Tomorrow.bio also offers pet cryopreservation, using the same scientific methods for beloved animal companions. It's a way to preserve that unique bond and keep open the possibility that future veterinary advances might one day enable revival.
Use our pet calculator to explore options, costs, and how the service works.
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
🤝 Schedule a consultation: Book a call
