2
HEAD HEAD
1. COLD
2. COLDER
Wood frog
3. COLDEST
Red flat bark beetle
These survive winters by packing their cells with sugar to prevent dehydration as their blood freezes, braving temperatures of -15°C (5°F).
These Alaskan beetles use cryoprotectants to stop ice crystal formation, and can survive temperatures as low as -150°C (-238°F).
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ANTIFREEZE ANIMALS
Tardigrade Also known as water bears, these microscopic creatures can survive temperatures close to absolute zero and have even braved outer space.
DID YOU KNOW? Silvered vacuum vessels known as Dewars used for cryogenic liquids led to the invention of the Thermos flask
TREATING SPORTS INJURIES Not all cryogenic techniques are well established, and in the sporting world, there is an emerging field in whole-body cryotherapy (WBC). Traditionally, ice and cold-water immersion have been used to treat sports injuries, but this new approach, based on research originally pioneered in Japan in the 1970s, aims to relieve the symptoms of athletic injury, muscle and joint pain, and arthritis by cooling the entire body in a cryogenic
chamber. Air is a poor conductor compared to water, so there is a much lower chance of the core body temperature being affected than with traditional techniques. Entering the nitrogen-cooled chamber, people are exposed to temperatures lower than minus-100 degrees Celsius (minus-148 degrees Fahrenheit) for a period of around three minutes. Their extremities are protected with clothing,
ENTERING THE CRYOCHAMBER Patients spend up to three minutes in these superchilled rooms
Insulated walls
Air diffuser
Main chamber
The walls of the chamber are insulated to ensure the temperature inside remains as cold as possible.
Normal air enters the chamber through vents near the ceiling.
The air in the main treatment chamber is maintained at temperatures between -123 and -162°C (-190 and -260°F).
Monitoring cameras The patients are monitored throughout the procedure using a combination of cameras and viewing windows.
gloves, socks, facemasks and underwear, but other than that, their skin is exposed to extreme temperatures. The body’s natural response is to cut off the blood supply to the skin, redirecting it to the core in order to minimise heat loss and maintain a healthy internal body temperature. A by-product of this is the release of natural painkillers known as endorphins, which can induce feelings of well-being and euphoria.
Treating arthritis Cryotherapy is being researched for its use in treating illnesses such as arthritis. Exposure to low temperatures slows down nerve conduction, helping to reduce muscle spasm by decreasing the rate of firing of the muscle spindles. This effect is easy to see in your own body – just try undoing the buttons on your coat with frozen fingertips after you come in from the cold. Cold temperatures are also thought to decrease the activity of damaging enzymes present within arthritic joints, known as collagenases, which break down the protective collagen cartilage that covers the bones. Studies in patients with a variety of joint disorders have shown that these techniques can temporarily reduce pain for periods of around 90 minutes, allowing patients to undergo physiotherapy and other interventions, which might otherwise have been too uncomfortable. So although it does not have a long-term effect, when used in conjunction with other therapies, there is the potential for significant medical benefit.
Liquid nitrogen Liquid nitrogen vapour can cause suffocation, and does not enter the chamber – it cools the air from the outside.
Intercom There is a two-way intercom to allow the patients and technicians to communicate.
Magnetic doors
Pre-chamber
The doors are closed using magnets, allowing the patients to leave easily if they need to.
Patients acclimatise to the cold in the first chamber, kept at a slightly warmer -40 to -62°C (-40 to -80°F).
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