The Ultimate Backup Plan: Inside Alcor Life Extension Foundation

Imagine a world where death isn’t necessarily the end — where science might one day allow you a second chance at life. This is the vision behind the Alcor Life Extension Foundation, widely regarded as the world’s leader in cryonics.

Located just outside Phoenix, in Scottsdale, Arizona, Alcor is the longest-running cryonics facility on Earth. Founded decades ago, the organization treats cryonics as an extension of emergency medicine. Max Moore, Alcor’s CEO, frames the current legal declaration of death as a somewhat arbitrary line — the point where conventional medicine stops. Alcor’s mission is to intervene at this stage: stabilize the patient, halt the dying process, and maintain them indefinitely until future technology can repair diseases and restore life.

Alcor USA's Cutting-Edge Techniques

What Alcor Offers

Alcor provides two main preservation options, alongside advanced operational services designed for maximum efficacy:

Preservation Options:

Whole-Body Cryopreservation – The complete preservation of the body and brain.
Neuro-Cryopreservation (Brain-Only) – Preservation of the head and brain alone. The idea is that if future technology can repair the brain’s billions of neurons, replacing the body could be comparatively simple, potentially using cloning or prosthetic bodies.

Operational Services:

Standby and Stabilization – Teams are ready for international deployment within two hours of notification that a member is in critical condition.
Field Procedures – Immediately after legal death, patients undergo rapid cooling, mechanical cardiopulmonary support, and protective medications to stabilize pH, prevent clotting, and halt further deterioration.
Cryoprotection and Vitrification – Transported to Scottsdale, the blood is replaced with cryoprotective agents, particularly M22, to achieve vitrification. This turns tissue into a glass-like state, preventing ice crystal formation that can damage cells.
Long-Term Storage – Patients are stored in custom-designed liquid nitrogen Dewars at −196°C. Whole-body patients lie head-down in aluminum pods, while neuro-patients occupy the central column.
Pet Preservation – Alcor also offers services for pets, with nearly 100 currently in storage.

What Makes Alcor Unique

Alcor’s leadership in cryonics stems from a combination of technology, research, security, and financial stability:

Advanced Procedures – Proprietary protocols, including the M22 vitrification solution, have been shown to preserve ultrastructure in animal studies without ice formation.
Self-Sustaining Storage – Dewars maintain temperature without electricity, making them resilient against power failures.
Facility Security – The patient care bay is fortified with Kevlar, metal plates, shatterproof glass, and high-security locks.
Financial Security – Cryopreservation fees fund a Patient Care Trust, conservatively invested to cover indefinite maintenance and liquid nitrogen replenishment.
Transparency and Research – Alcor publishes case reports, documenting procedures and challenges, and continually advances cryonics science.

Who Chooses Alcor?

Alcor’s 1,200+ members are diverse, spanning doctors, engineers, economists, writers, and more. They view cryonics as a rational “backup plan” — a chance at future life that is preferable to the certainty of conventional death.

Notable members and patients include:

James Bedford – The first cryopreserved human, 1967.
Ted Williams – Legendary baseball player (neuro patient).
Max Moore – Alcor’s CEO and future neuro patient.
Hal Finney, Phil Salin, L. Stephen Coles – Pioneers in software, economics, and medicine.
Ray Kurzweil and Ralph Merkel – Futurists and computer scientists.
A young girl from Thailand – Alcor’s youngest patient with brain cancer.

High-profile individuals reportedly interested in Alcor include Peter Thiel, Seth Macfarlane, Paris Hilton, and Steve Aoki.

Location & Logistics

Alcor’s primary facility and long-term storage site is in Scottsdale, Arizona, near Phoenix. Stabilization teams can deploy worldwide, with transport maintained via specialized vehicles or chartered aircraft. Rapid cooling continues during transport to ensure maximum preservation.