This news is Courtesy
Gindy.
What if it were possible to live forever? Recent steps by scientists at
Safar Centre for Resuscitation Research at
University of Pittsburgh have perhaps made this a possibility. The scientists have
created zombie dogs, reanimating the canines after several hours of clinical death in attempts to develop suspended animation for humans.
Dead For Two Hours! (Courtesy: Safar Centre)The dogs were reanimated three hours after their
clinical death. The technique involves draining the veins of blood, and replacing it with ice-cold salt solution. The body temperature drops to 7C, enough to induce a state of hypothermia. There is no heartbeat, or brain activity. But when the blood is replaced, the heart restarted with an electric shock and a dose of 100% oxygen is administered, the dogs are brought back to life!!
According to the center, plans to test it on humans should materialize within a year. Other than possible immortality applications, this technique could help save lives on the battlefield, or other critically injured patients. It might also help save patients waiting for organ transplants. Another application is in repairing critical blood vessels; currently, doctors must repair the vessels under a time pressure, as lack of blood would otherwise damage organs that are fed blood through the vessel under repair. During this induced hypothermia, there is no such limitation, as the organs are perfectly preserved:).
Immortality anyone?! ;);).