absolute zero

(physics) The coldest possible temperature, equivalent to zero on the Kelvin scale, or approximately −273.15 °C, −459.67 °F; a total absence of heat; the temperature at which the motion of all molecules would cease.


Bose-Einstein condensate

en-noun

Bose-Einstein condensate (plural Bose-Einstein condensates)

Named after physicists Albert Einstein and Satyendra Nath Bose

named-after

(physics) A gaseous superfluid phase of matter in which all the particles have the same quantum state.

Bose-Einstein condensate
en:Albert Einstein
en:Satyendra Nath Bose

συμπύκνωμα Bose-Einstein (sympýknoma Bose-Einstein)

конденса́т Бо́зе — Эйнште́йна m (kondɛnsát Bózɛ — Ejnštɛ́jna)


cryonics

The cryopreservation of a person with medical needs that cannot be met by available medicine until resuscitation and healing by future medicine is possible.


corpsicle

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Blend of corpse + popsicle. The cryogenic sense is a coinage by author Frederik Pohl in The Age of the Pussyfoot (1969).

'Your newspapers called you people corpsicles,' said the blond man. 'I never understood what the tapes meant by that.'
'It comes from Popsicle. Frozen sherbet.' Corbell had used the word himself before he became one of them. One of the corpsicles, the frozen dead.

There are dozens of companies that will turn you into a human corpsicle and store your chilled earthly remains indefinitely.

2007, Daniel H. Wilson, Where's My Jetpack?:, page 176:

I won't turn you into a corpsicle and hope somebody knows how to fix you in a hundred years.

(science fiction) A person who has been cryonically frozen in the hope of later revival.

It started when a janitor found a corpsicle floating in a rooftop swimming pool next to Central Park one August morning. A stiff, but I mean stiff.

1992, Spider Robinson, Lady Slings the Booze, page 9:

Eventually, the much-travelled corpsicle arrived back at the family farm, where she was stripped of her plastic shroud and set on the lawn to thaw out before being laid to rest.

1995, The Bermudian - Volume 66, Issues 7-12, page 13:

But if he wandered away in a confused state when the dark came on, he's a corpsicle by now.”

2007, Julia Spencer-Fleming, Out of the Deep I Cry:


cryogenic

en-adj

cryogenic (comparative more cryogenic, superlative most cryogenic)

more cryogenic (comparative)
most cryogenic (superlative)

/ˌkɹaɪoʊˈd͡ʒɛnɪk/

/ˌkɹaɪəˈd͡ʒɛnɪk/

Of, relating to, or performed at low temperatures.

criogènic

of, relating to, or performed at low temperatures


cryo-

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek κρύος (krúos, “ice, icy cold, chill, frost”).


cryopreservation

en-noun

cryopreservation (countable and uncountable, plural cryopreservations)

From cryo- + preservation, from Ancient Greek κρύος (krúos, “icy cold, chill, frost”).

uder

the preservation of biological tissue at cryogenic temperatures, typically at -80°C (dry ice temperature) or -196°C (the boiling point of liquid nitrogen).


liquid helium

(physics) The liquified form of helium that does not solidify even at absolute zero; it shows unusual properties, such as superfluidity, due to quantum effects.


liquid nitrogen

Nitrogen that has been cooled to the liquid state; used in cryogenics.


superfluid

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(physics) A substance, such as liquid helium, that exhibits superfluidity.


cryobiologist

a biologist who specializes in cryobiology


cryopreserve

en-verb

cryopreserve (third-person singular simple present cryopreserves, present participle cryopreserving, simple past and past participle cryopreserved)

cryopreserves (present singular third-person)
cryopreserving (participle present)
cryopreserved (participle past)
cryopreserved (past)

To preserve something (especially biological tissue) by freezing it and holding it a very low temperature


coldsleep

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By converting some of the recreation space to storerooms and adapting the storerooms thus cleared to the purpose of cold-sleep, the ship was roomy enough.

1941 August, Robert A. Heinlein, “Methuselah's Children”, in John W. Campbell, editor, Astounding Science-Fiction, volume 27, number 6:

He had always believed Arcadia lovely, an undespoiled planet waiting for man like a bride, more than worth decades in coldsleep aboard a spaceship, toil and danger of pioneering, isolation from the rest of humankind.

1968 September, Poul Anderson, “The Faun”, in Boys' Life, volume 58, number 9, page 33:

A deep sleep during which the body is stored at very cold temperature, to preserve it; cryogenic sleep.


coldsleep

coldsleep (third-person singular simple present coldsleeps, present participle coldsleeping, simple past and past participle coldslept)

coldsleeps (present singular third-person)
coldsleeping (participle present)
coldslept (participle past)
coldslept (past)
cold sleep (alternative)

Damnation, he was quite capable of refusing to let me cold-sleep.

1956 October, Robert A. Heinlein, “The Door into Summer”, in Anthony Boucher, editor, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, volume 11, number 4:

The escape capsule in which he'd cold-slept had had another minor malfunction that left him staring drugged and half conscious through the port glass at open space for two days before the cryogenic process had kicked in.

1990, Anne McCaffrey, Jody Lynn Nye, The Death of Sleep:

To experience deep sleep whilst the body is stored at a very cold temperature; to engage in cryogenic sleep.


cryonic

The scientists placed the patient into cryonic suspension.


dewar

Named after British physicist and chemist James Dewar, its inventor.

named-after

A large thermos-like container called a dewar contained 645 gallons of liquid helium to be cooled to within two degrees of absolute zero.

2009 February 17, Guy Gugliotta, “Perseverance Is Paying Off for a Test of Relativity in Space”, in New York Times:

A vacuum flask; a vessel which keeps its contents hotter or cooler than their environment without the need to modify the pressure, by interposing an evacuated region to provide thermal insulation between the contents and the environment.


cryogen

(physics) a cryogenic liquid (that boils below about -160°C) used as a refrigerant


liquid air

Air which is in a liquid state due to being pressurized or kept at a low temperature, or both, usually for storage and transport purposes.


cryosleep

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“Constantly shifting positions and priorities. Outright deception. And behind it all, the possibility we'll be hit again by this Scourge. Despite all that, their solution is for us to return to cryo. Just take a little nap and all our problems will go away.”[…]
What had Calix and his team become? This was no simple protest. His speech had implied as much. To resist the order to return to cryo-sleep, by definition it made these people a resistance.

2017 March, Jason M. Hough, K. C. Alexander, Mass Effect Andromeda: Nexus Uprising, 1st edition (Science Fiction), Titan Books, →ISBN, →OCLC, pages 369–370:

(science fiction) A deep sleep during which the body is stored at very cold temperature, to preserve it; cryogenic sleep.


Abbreviation of liquid hydrogen (a liquid composed of the liquid phase of molecular hydrogen (H₂)).


LHe

Abbreviation of liquid helium (a liquid composed of the liquid phase of molecular (atomic) helium (He)).


cryonicist

Cryonics was in its infancy then, and cryobiologists were hard to find, let alone cryonicists. The former believed the body could be frozen in pieces; the latter that it could be frozen whole.

2008, Chris Middings, The Reincarnation, page 41:

Titled “The Brain Preservation Technology Prize: A challenge to cryonicists, a challenge to scientists,” it argued that if a brain was properly preserved, time would not be an issue.

2015 September 12, Amy Harmon, “A Dying Young Woman’s Hope in Cryonics and a Future”, in New York Times:


cryoprison

(science fiction) A prison whose inmates are cryogenically frozen for the duration of their sentences.


cryobed

(science fiction) A bed-like unit in which a person can be cryogenically preserved.


information-theoretic death

en-noun

information-theoretic death (usually uncountable, plural information-theoretic deaths)

From information theory + -ic + death, based on clinical death. Coined by American cryptographer and cryonicist Ralph Merkle.

coin

Information-theoretic death occurs several hours following clinical death. Dying is a process, and in the ideal case cryonics intervention procedures begin immediately after the heart stops beating and prior to brain death.

2021, Calvin Mercer, Tracy J. Trothen, Religion and the Technological Future: An Introduction to Biohacking, Artificial Intelligence, and Transhumanism, Springer Nature, →ISBN, page 147:

The point at which a person's unique memories and individual personality traits are no longer present in a form that could be read or inferred by future technologies; the complete loss of the information that defines an individual.


hydrolox

(astronautics) A type of binary rocket fuel composed of liquid oxygen (lox) oxidizer and liquid hydrogen combustible.


liquid oxygen

Under the name of "compound oxygen" or "liquid oxygen," it has been used in its liquid form by quacks, and has been sold as a patent medicine ; and has cured some who had experienced no relief from treatment ordinarily adopted for such cases.

1880, St. Louis Courier of Medicine and Collateral Sciences:

To boost oxygen supply for health recovery or immune system support at the onset of illness, try daily use of liquid oxygen. For use internally, the ratios given below (for hydrogen peroxide, originally) are conservative.

1999, Penelope Oaks Colville, The Multiversa Strategy, →ISBN, page 220:

This was not just another quack cure. This was on sale exclusively from the duty-free trolley on Continental Airlines. What was it? Liquid oxygen, that's what.

2008, New Scientist and Science Journal - Volume 199, Issues 2663-2670:

For more mind-numbing claptrap, how about “all-natural liquid oxygen” drops under the tongue to fight jet lag, fatigue, hangover, and aging skin?

2014, Joe Schwarcz, Is That a Fact?: Frauds, Quacks, and the Real Science of Everyday Life, →ISBN:

A solution of hydrogen peroxide and other compounds that is reputed to have health benefits.


cryo-freeze

en-verb

cryo-freeze (third-person singular simple present cryo-freezes, present participle cryo-freezing, simple past cryo-froze, past participle cryo-frozen)

cryo-freezes (present singular third-person)
cryo-freezing (participle present)
cryo-froze (past)
cryo-frozen (participle past)

Cirno: "I'll cryo-freeze you together with some English beef!"

2002, Team Shanghai Alice, Embodiment of Scarlet Devil:

This requires bulky machinery and other equipment that one person is unlikely to be able to maneuver. Furthermore, even if current technology could cryo-freeze an entire body, the process would take many hours. Dr. Stein made inquiries and found out that a specialist in the field of cryogenics had made a breakthrough just a few weeks before the murder that allowed him to safely freeze single organs, but not entire bodies.

2014, James Luce, The Star-Spangled Triangle, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 60:

(transitive, science fiction, fantasy) To freeze something cryogenically.


cryo-freeze

cryo-freezes (plural)
cryo freeze (alternative)
cryofreeze (alternative)

"Both the original injury and the cryo-freeze did him a lot of damage, some of it permanent. He was forced to take a medical discharge, which he — hm! — did not handle well. It's not my place to discuss those details.” “If he was injured badly enough to need cryo-freeze, he was dead!” she said, startled. “Technically, I suppose so. 'Alive' and 'dead' are not such neat categories as they used to be in the Time of Isolation.”

1999, Lois McMaster Bujold, Komarr, Baen Books, →ISBN:

"What are you going to do with her?" he asked. "Nothing, Dr. Sanders. You are." Sanders shook his head. "What do you mean?" - "We've got two new clients, Dr. Sanders, that need to be put into cryo-freeze..."

2011, Russell Davis, Touchless, Wildside Press LLC, →ISBN, page 154:

Oh I hate this, and she did it on purpose, I'm floating in mid grav feeling like I'm in cryo freeze like the old days. “Lasko you were never in cryo freeze, that has not been used since the star stream was discovered.” Good point, and it is kinda good for the back. “Just be careful of the...” Ow, the transition. “Sorry Lasko, but I told you to stay seated.” The tone in her voice tells me she kinda enjoyed that."

2017, J.W. Delorie, Esper Wars, AuthorHouse, →ISBN:

(science fiction) The state of being cryogenically frozen.


cryotorium

en-noun

cryotorium (plural cryotoriums or cryotoria)

A cryogenic warehouse for storing seeds or other living things in suspended animation.


dormantory

(science fiction) A cryogenic warehouse for storing people in suspended animation.


cryochemistry

the study of chemical interactions at temperatures below -150°C


solid hydrogen

solid hydrogen (countable and uncountable, plural solid hydrogens)

The solid phase of hydrogen; frozen hydrogen state

A metal lattice which has absorbed hydrogen gas

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see solid, hydrogen.


cryopod

He glanced at the scan display. The contact resolved into a clearer image: definitely a UNSC cryopod.

2003, Eric Nylund, Halo: First Strike, New York: Del Rey, →ISBN, page 38:

(science fiction) A pod in which a person is maintained in cryosleep.


cryocrastinate

en-verb

cryocrastinate (third-person singular simple present cryocrastinates, present participle cryocrastinating, simple past and past participle cryocrastinated)

cryocrastinates (present singular third-person)
cryocrastinating (participle present)
cryocrastinated (participle past)
cryocrastinated (past)

Longterm discounts help to some extent but do nothing to encourage younger members to join rather than to cryocrastinate.

2020, Michael Benjamin, Jerry D. Leaf, Max More, R. Michael Perry, “How to Sustain an Organization for Over a Century”, in Cryonics, volume 41, number 3, page 14:

[…] so in cryonics when you delay signing up for your membership we call it 'cryocrastinate.'

2022 April 19, Peter Ward, quoting Patrick Harris, “How To Pay For a Second Life” (chapter 4), in The Price of Immortality, United Kingdom: Melville House Publishing, →ISBN, page 70:

Why do people cryocrastinate? The most common explanation I’ve heard from intelligent people for not getting cryonics is that the money is better spent on some altruistic cause.

2009 July 22, AndrewH, “An observation on cryocrastination”, in lesswrong.com, archived from the original on 2024-01-21:

(intransitive, neologism) To put off making arrangements of having one's body cryopreserved upon old age.


cryocrastination

en-noun

cryocrastination (usually uncountable, plural cryocrastinations)

Many of the standard explanations of procrastination apply just as well to cryocrastination. We tend to put off taking desirable action because we discount future benefits while focusing on the effort required in the present.

2013 September 4, Max More and Chana Phaedra, “Cryocrastination”, in Cryonics Archive:

(neologism) The act of waiting until old age for cryopreservation.