A German company has made an extraordinary offer: the chance to live again after death. The Berlin-based firm, Tomorrow Bio, claims it can freeze humans and revive them in the future, with the service priced at $200,000. But is this a genuine scientific breakthrough or merely a futuristic fantasy?
Tomorrow Bio, Europe’s first cryonics lab, aims to preserve deceased individuals at ultra-low temperatures with the hope of reviving them in the future. Co-founder Emil Kendziora, a former cancer researcher, shifted his focus to cryonics after becoming disillusioned with the slow progress in cancer treatment. He believes that cryonics could one day make it possible to bring humans back to life.
The concept of cryonics is not new. The world’s first cryonics lab was established in Michigan half a century ago. However, the idea has always been controversial. While some see it as a bold step toward humanity’s future, others dismiss it as science fiction.
So far, Tomorrow Bio has cryopreserved three to four individuals and five pets, with nearly 700 people expressing interest in the service. The company plans to expand its operations to the United States by 2025. Yet, scientists remain skeptical. Professor Clive Coen, a neuroscientist at King’s College London, argues that the human brain is far too complex to be successfully revived after freezing. He describes the idea as “unreasonable.”
The process begins when a patient is in their final days. Tomorrow Bio dispatches an ambulance to the individual’s location. Once legally declared dead, the body is frozen at sub-zero temperatures and infused with a cryoprotective liquid to prevent ice crystal formation. Kendziora believes that future advancements in technology, such as treatments for cancer and other diseases, could one day make revival possible. However, no one can predict when—or if—this might happen.
Critics, including Professor Coen, emphasize that reviving a frozen human brain is currently impossible. When the heart stops, cells begin to break down, and the body’s systems collapse. Despite this, cryonics advocates remain hopeful, pointing to future technologies like nanotechnology and connectomics as potential solutions. Yet, there is no concrete evidence to support these claims.
Among Tomorrow Bio’s clients is 51-year-old Louise Harrison, who pays $87 monthly for the service. Harrison finds the idea of returning to life in the future appealing, likening it to time travel. “It’s like a one-way trip with a slight chance of coming back,” she says. “It feels like the logical choice.”
However, many remain unconvinced, viewing cryonics as a pipe dream. Despite the skepticism, companies like Tomorrow Bio continue to pursue the ambitious goal of bringing humans back to life. Whether this dream will ever become reality remains a question only time can answer.
