How Cryonics Works: Inside Europe’s $200K Body Freezing Technology

Would you pay $200,000 to have your body preserved at −198°C, hoping to wake up centuries later?

This isn’t just sci-fi anymore, it’s called cryonics, and Europe is leading the way. In this article, we’ll explore how cryonics works, what it costs, and why people across the world (including Australians) are signing up for this futuristic gamble.

❄️ What Exactly Is Cryonics?

Cryonics is the science of preserving humans (and sometimes pets) right after legal death. Instead of burial or cremation, the body is cooled, treated with cryoprotectant solutions, and stored at extreme low temperatures in liquid nitrogen tanks.

The dream? That future technology, whether nanotech, regenerative medicine, or even mind uploading, could one day revive these patients.

⚠️ But here’s the reality: No human has ever been revived from cryopreservation. For now, it’s a bet on the future.

🚑 From Heartbeat to Ice: How Cryonics Works Step by Step

Imagine this 👇

You’re declared legally dead in Berlin. Within minutes, a cryonics ambulance arrives, staffed with a standby team trained for rapid preservation. Instead of going to a morgue, here’s what happens:

1. Legal Death Confirmed → Process starts only after official death.
2. Rapid Cooling → The team stabilises the body and lowers its temperature.
3. Cryoprotectant Infusion → A vitrification cryoprotectant solution replaces blood to prevent ice damage.
4. Transport to Switzerland → They take the patient to the European Biostasis Foundation facility in Rafz.
5. Deep Freeze → The body is lowered into vacuum-insulated steel containers filled with liquid nitrogen, cooled to −198°C for long-term nitrogen storage.
   

📍 Main Facility: Switzerland
🌍 Backup Teams: Berlin, Amsterdam, Zurich

💰 Would You Pay $200,000 to Freeze Your Body?

Here’s the cryopreservation cost in Europe (2025):

• 🧍 Full-body preservation → $200,000
• 🧠 Brain-only preservation (neuro) → $80,000

To make it affordable, Tomorrow Bio cryonics offers membership models:

• €35/month → covers €100K funding
• €50/month → covers €200K funding
• €100/month → covers €300K funding

This subscription approach makes European cryonics services more accessible than the lump sum model.

📊 Key Cryonics Stats You Need to Know (2025)

Data Point	Value (2025)
Full-body cryopreservation cost	$200,000 / €200,000
Brain-only preservation cost	$80,000 / €67,200
Humans preserved (Europe)	3–6 at Tomorrow Bio; ~100 total
Pets preserved	5
Signed-up clients (Europe)	650–700
Global humans preserved	≈500
Global sign-ups	>4,000
Europe’s market share	40% of global cryonics
Market growth (2024–2030)	12.5% CAGR Europe; 7.5% globally
Tomorrow Bio contracts	€160 million
Preservation temperature	−198°C
Facilities	Switzerland, Germany, Russia, USA

Also Read: Types of AI in Healthcare and How They Transform Medicine

🌍 Who Freezes You for Less? Europe vs USA vs Russia

Cryonics isn’t limited to Europe. Here’s the cost comparison:

• 🇪🇺 Europe (Tomorrow Bio, Cecryon) – Full body: $200K | Brain-only: $80K
• 🇺🇸 USA (Alcor, Cryonics Institute) – Full body: $200K–$220K | Brain-only: $80K
• 🇷🇺 Russia (KrioRus) – Budget-friendly: ~$36K (body) | ~$18K (brain-only)

👉 Russia is cheapest, but Europe and the USA dominate in reliability, storage, and funding security.

📈 The Cryonics Market Boom

• Europe controls 40% of the global cryonics market.
• Market growth: 12.5% CAGR in Europe (2024–2030).
• By 2026, global cryonics could hit $100 million in revenue.
• Tomorrow Bio alone has €160 million in client contracts.

🔹 Related sector: The cryotherapy industry (broader cold-tech health treatments) in Europe earned $52.1 million in 2024, projected to grow to $82.4 million by 2030 (CAGR 7.9%).

🤔 Can the Frozen Ever Return? The Big Cryonics Debate

Here’s the controversial part:

• ❌ No revival yet → Brain cells still suffer irreversible damage.
• ❓ Identity questions → Would the revived “you” truly be the same person?
• ⚖️ Legal status → Cryonics patients are classified as dead, not medical patients.

Skeptics call it pseudoscience, while advocates see it as speculative rejuvenation science, a bet on future revival technologies that may or may not come.

Why Australians Are Watching Europe Closely

Australia doesn’t yet have a cryonics facility. This means Aussies who want to sign up are transported to Europe (Tomorrow Bio, Switzerland/Germany) or the USA (Alcor, Cryonics Institute).

As cryonics grows, Australians interested in life extension and future tech are looking at Europe as the most practical and advanced option.

Also Read: Pros and Cons of Technology in Healthcare and Its Impact

🧊 Final Thought: Future or Frozen Fantasy?

For some, spending $200,000 to freeze their body is worth the chance of waking up in 250 years. For others, it’s nothing more than expensive science fiction.

What’s clear is this: Europe’s cryonics industry is booming, with hundreds of clients, millions in funding, and the world’s most advanced facilities.

So the real question is:

👉 If revival ever becomes possible, would you want to wake up in the year 2500?

FAQs

1. What is cryonics, and how does it work?

Cryonics involves preserving individuals (or their brains) at extremely low temperatures, around −196 °C to −200 °C, shortly after legal death, using vitrification cryoprotectants instead of traditional freezing. The goal is to halt decay and await future technologies capable of repairing cellular damage and reviving the person.

2. Can cryonics be performed before legal death?

No. Under current laws, cryopreservation can only begin after legal death is declared. Performing the procedure beforehand is considered illegal.

3. Has anyone ever been revived from cryonics?

Not yet. While embryos, human tissues, insects, and even some small organs have been successfully cryopreserved and revived, no human being who has undergone cryonics has ever been brought back to life.

4. How soon must cryonics begin after death?

Ideally, the process should begin within 1–2 minutes of legal death, and definitely within 15 minutes. Delays increase the risk of cellular decay, especially in the brain, and diminish the chance that future technologies could successfully restore the individual.

5. Is there scientific or legal support for cryonics?

Scientifically, cryonics remains speculative, widely regarded by mainstream experts as pseudoscience, due to the lack of conclusive evidence for revival. Legally, cryonics is often framed as scientific research or body donation to sidestep regulations on burial and transportation across borders.