Billionaire Peter Thiel doesn't seem to have much interest in the idea of a future without billionaire Peter Thiel, and one of the possible ways to make sure that future never occurs (or at least to put it off as long as possible) lies in the field of cryogenics. In case you're not familiar, that's the idea that by freezing one's body it can be preserved in the future, when medical technology and other innovations may make it possible to revive you and prolong your life beyond the limits of the technology of the present. And in a recent podcast appearance, Thiel revealed he's signed up to take part, even while he's not convinced it could really work.
Cryogenics worked for Austin Powers and Simon Phoenix, but it's yet to be perfected in the real world. Thiel was reported in 2016 to be among those investing in a company called Alcor Life Extension Foundation, which reportedly gives clients the opportunity to pay to be encased in liquid nitrogen hypersleep until some far-off future revivification. And in a recent appearance on the "Honestly with Bari Weiss" podcast, Thiel was asked about his interest in cryogenic preservation:
"Yes, but — think of it more as an ideological statement. I don't necessarily expect it to work, but I think it's the sort of thing we're supposed to try to do."
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Thiel doesn't seem to be a cryogenics true believer, and as such he says he hasn't been recruiting any friends or family members to sign up for an ice tank next to his: "I'm not convinced it works… I think we need to be trying these things. It's not there yet," Thiel said.
The future of cryogenics technology remains to be seen, and it's never been successfully demonstrated yet. And it's not the only project Thiel is interested in that sounds like science fiction: back in 2017, it was reported he invested $100,000 in a group trying to bring back the woolly mammoth.
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