The advent of cryonics, a field dedicated to preserving human bodies at extremely low temperatures in hopes of future revival, has seen a significant milestone in Australia. Southern Cryonics, a company based in Holbrook, has frozen its first client, marking the first such instance in the Southern Hemisphere. This event has spurred discussions on the science, ethics, and future of cryonics.
In May 2024, Southern Cryonics successfully cryogenically preserved its first patient, an 80-year-old man from Sydney, who has been dubbed “Patient One.” The man passed away on the morning of 12 May, 2024, in an inner Sydney hospital. The preservation process began immediately, involving a series of meticulously planned steps.
We’re thrilled to announce our first successful cryonics suspension with Patient 1! Thanks to our incredible team and partners for their swift and dedicated efforts. A major milestone for Southern Cryonics and CryoPath! 🚀❄️ #Cryonics #Innovation #TeamWork Philip Rhoades, the facility manager at Southern Cryonics, expressed the intensity of the process. “[It was] very stressful.
That was what was keeping me awake for a week because there are a number of different procedures to go through for different days, and there were a number of situations that might have gone wrong if we hadn’t prepared properly.” he told ABC Australia . What was the procedure? The patient’s body was initially cooled to around 6 degrees Celsius in the hospital’s cold room.
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