Family pay $140k to freeze bodies in liquid nitrogen tanks after death

A man and his family have signed up to preserve their bodies in liquid nitrogen tanks, in hopes they'll wake up in the future.

Dennis James Kowalski, 54, told Insider he first learnt about cryonics as a kid in the 70s. Kowalski was inspired by the TV segment and went on to carry out his own research for the future.

Cryonics "is the practice of preserving humans and animals at cryogenic temperatures in the hope that future science can restore them to a healthy living condition as well as rejuvenate them," according to the National Library of Medicine. "At present cryonics can only be performed after pronouncement of legal death of the cryonics subject."

Now, the head of the Cryonics Institute, Kowalski's "gut instinct" believes that in 100 years we'll have the technology to revive someone from the dead.

"But nobody knows the future, and it's impossible to know for sure," he wrote. "You've got nothing to lose by preserving your body after death but potentially everything to gain."

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He later revealed that he, his wife and three children have signed up to have their bodies preserved.

"I've had the conversation with them about it, and they get it," he said. "They agree that the chance of waking up, even if slim, is worth it. They're pretty optimistic about the future as well."

Kowalski explained that his $28,000 per person decision isn't deep-rooted in fear of death. Instead, he's fascinated by the idea of waking up in the future.

He added: "Real science is even more magical if you give it a chance. I'm a dreamer, but I'm also a realist. I understand it may not work, but it's worth a try, isn't it?"

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