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Essay / Cryobiology: low temperature studies of biological systems...
Cryobiology: low temperature studies of biological systemsThesis: Low temperature biology, or cryobiology, has the possibility and can very easily and very radically affect the life of everyone in the future. With the rapid approach of cryobiological medical procedures and techniques, the presence of intense ethical issues can play an important role in many daily decisions that do not currently exist.IntroductionWhat is cryobiology? It is “the study of the effects of frost and low temperatures on living organisms” (Read, 1999). Although cryobiology primarily focuses on living organisms (as suggested above), cryobiological techniques have been expanded to include the treatment of non-living things as well. This addition of non-living objects expanded the scope to include not only plants, animals, and humans, but also machines and other metal objects. A common synonym for cryobiology is “cryogenics”. According to the New American Desk Encyclopedia (1989), cryogenics is defined as “the branch of physics dealing with the behavior of matter at very low temperatures and the production of these temperatures.” As can be seen, cryogenics is a slightly more focused study of the field of cryobiology, primarily dealing with the methods of producing these freezing temperatures. Another area of understudy, if you will, is cryonics. Cryonics is defined as the practice of freezing humans who cannot be cured by current medical technology, in the hope of finding ways to bring them back to life in the future, when ways to repair the damage caused by the freezing process will have been developed. as well as cures of illnesses or other causes of death that required their cryogenic suspension (Cryogenics International, 1999). As suggested above, cryobiology is primarily focused on the effects on these living organisms or non-living objects, although the methods and procedures are also very important. All over the world, new and improved techniques are being tested to make it a better medical and preservation procedure. Not only are different techniques and procedures receiving increased attention, but also the many controversial issues that accompany them. Low temperature biology, or cryobiology, has the potential to very easily and dramatically affect everyone's lives in the future. With the rapid approach of cryobiological medical procedures and techniques, the presence of intense ethical issues can play an important role in many daily decisions that do not currently exist. Cryobiology TechniquesThere are many different cryobiological techniques that exist and are used today..