Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Mitochondria and the Prevention of Death

Posted by kdawson on from the wrestling-the-dead-back-to-life dept.

H_Fisher writes "Research into mitochondria — small structures within a cell that have their own DNA — suggests that they may be a cause of cellular death, according to Newsweek. The article The Science of Death: Reviving the Dead reports on people who have recovered from sudden death due to cardiac arrest through the use of medically induced hypothermia. The cooling process may help stop the death of brain and heart cells initiated by the mitochondria once they are deprived of oxygen. The article goes on to probe delicately at the question of where a person's personality 'is' between death and later revival, and describes several ongoing scientific studies of near-death experiences."

7 of 453 comments (clear)

  1. It's not exactly mysterious. by ScentCone · · Score: 5, Funny

    A person's personality goes off to Digg when they are Mostly Dead.

    --
    Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
    1. Re:It's not exactly mysterious. by ozphx · · Score: 5, Funny

      Mod parent: +5 Hippy Ownage

      --
      3laws: No freebies, no backsies, GTFO.
    2. Re:It's not exactly mysterious. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
      personally my game hunting weapon of choice is a stick of dynamite. i sneak up on my prey and insert it quickly and silently into it's anus then light it.

      the skill is in lighting it without them knowing.

    3. Re:It's not exactly mysterious. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      My monitor is fuzzy, did you say "when she's a sheep" or "asleep"?

  2. Ob. Princess Bride by PresidentEnder · · Score: 5, Funny

    Miracle Max: See, there's a big difference between mostly dead, and all dead. Now, mostly dead: he's slightly alive. All dead, well, with all dead, there's usually only one thing that you can do.
    Inigo: What's that?
    Miracle Max: Go through his clothes and look for loose change.

    --
    I used to carry a bottle of whiskey for snake bite. And two snakes. -Nefarious Wheel
  3. Re:Obliq quote by fractoid · · Score: 4, Funny

    *waves hand* These are not the midichlorians you are looking for.

    Move along.

    --
    Rampant carbon sequestration destroyed the Dinosaurs' tropical paradise. I'm here to help repair the damage.
  4. Re:CRYONICS by fbjon · · Score: 3, Funny

    Most importanly, as this article alludes to, this new approach valdiates some of the science surrounding cryonics. As far as I can tell, cryonics is the only possible way for any of us to get our selves and our memories to the distant future where we can live superlong lives, or maybe even forever. Hey, that sounds like a great idea! Let's freeze all of humanity and wait for science to progress.
    --
    True confidence comes not from realising you are as good as your peers, but that your peers are as bad as you are.