Saul Kent
Encyclopedia
Saul Kent is a prominent life extension
activist, and co-founder of the Life Extension Foundation
, a major dietary supplement
vendor and promoter of anti-aging research. He is also a pioneer in the controversial practice of cryonics
, and is a board member of the cryonics organization Alcor Life Extension Foundation
(no connection to the Life Extension Foundation).
on a radio show appearance and subsequently reading Ettinger's book The Prospect of Immortality shortly after it was published in 1964. Kent helped form the New York City
branch of Evan Cooper's Life Extension Society (LES). Mr. Kent and others became frustrated with LES when Cooper refused to give names and addresses to the New York group of New Yorkers who had contacted Cooper. Deciding to form a new organization, a meeting took place in August 1965 that included Kent, a lawyer named Curtis Henderson
and an industrial designer named Karl Werner.
At the meeting, Karl Werner coined the word "cryonics
", and the new organization was called the Cryonics Society of New York
(CSNY). In 1966, CSNY began publishing Cryonics Reports magazine, with Saul Kent as its editor.
From the mid-1960s to 1980, Saul Kent wrote articles and books, directed conferences, and was interviewed by the media about the possibility of extending the healthy human lifespan
and the scientific research that supports this possibility. During that period, he had two books published: Future Sex and The Life-Extension Revolution. His third book, Your Personal Life Extension Program, was published in 1985.
In 1980, Kent started the Life Extension Foundation
, a membership organization that informs people about the latest advances in the life extension
sciences, sells dietary supplement
s, and funds life extension research by offering grants to scientists in universities and by supporting startup biotech companies.
Mr. Kent is also involved in a project called Timeship, which involves building a unique facility designed by architect Stephen Valentine to house companies conducting research in the life extension
and reanimation sciences and provide long-term care for cryopreserved humans.
In 2000, Kent appeared on documentary filmmaker Errol Morris
' television series First Person, where he discussed in depth his beliefs and motivations, as well as the investigation into the cryopreservation
of his own mother's head so her brain could be restored at a later date.
Life extension
Life extension science, also known as anti-aging medicine, experimental gerontology, and biomedical gerontology, is the study of slowing down or reversing the processes of aging to extend both the maximum and average lifespan...
activist, and co-founder of the Life Extension Foundation
Life Extension Foundation
The Life Extension Foundation is a non-profit research-based foundation headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, established by co-founders Saul Kent and William Faloon in 1980...
, a major dietary supplement
Dietary supplement
A dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional supplement, is a preparation intended to supplement the diet and provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids, that may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantities in a person's diet...
vendor and promoter of anti-aging research. He is also a pioneer in the controversial practice of cryonics
Cryonics
Cryonics is the low-temperature preservation of humans and animals who can no longer be sustained by contemporary medicine, with the hope that healing and resuscitation may be possible in the future. Cryopreservation of people or large animals is not reversible with current technology...
, and is a board member of the cryonics organization Alcor Life Extension Foundation
Alcor Life Extension Foundation
The Alcor Life Extension Foundation, most often referred to as Alcor, is a Scottsdale, Arizona, USA-based nonprofit company that researches, advocates for and performs cryonics, the preservation of humans in liquid nitrogen after legal death, with hopes of restoring them to full health when new...
(no connection to the Life Extension Foundation).
Organizational Activities
Kent became a cryonics activist while a college student, upon hearing Robert EttingerRobert Ettinger
Robert Chester Wilson Ettinger was an American academic, known as "the father of cryonics" because of the impact of his 1962 book The Prospect of Immortality...
on a radio show appearance and subsequently reading Ettinger's book The Prospect of Immortality shortly after it was published in 1964. Kent helped form the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
branch of Evan Cooper's Life Extension Society (LES). Mr. Kent and others became frustrated with LES when Cooper refused to give names and addresses to the New York group of New Yorkers who had contacted Cooper. Deciding to form a new organization, a meeting took place in August 1965 that included Kent, a lawyer named Curtis Henderson
Curtis Henderson
Curtis Henderson was a pioneer in the practice of cryonics.-Personal background:Henderson graduated from Pennsylvania Military College and Temple University law school. He passed the New York bar exam...
and an industrial designer named Karl Werner.
At the meeting, Karl Werner coined the word "cryonics
Cryonics
Cryonics is the low-temperature preservation of humans and animals who can no longer be sustained by contemporary medicine, with the hope that healing and resuscitation may be possible in the future. Cryopreservation of people or large animals is not reversible with current technology...
", and the new organization was called the Cryonics Society of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(CSNY). In 1966, CSNY began publishing Cryonics Reports magazine, with Saul Kent as its editor.
From the mid-1960s to 1980, Saul Kent wrote articles and books, directed conferences, and was interviewed by the media about the possibility of extending the healthy human lifespan
Life extension
Life extension science, also known as anti-aging medicine, experimental gerontology, and biomedical gerontology, is the study of slowing down or reversing the processes of aging to extend both the maximum and average lifespan...
and the scientific research that supports this possibility. During that period, he had two books published: Future Sex and The Life-Extension Revolution. His third book, Your Personal Life Extension Program, was published in 1985.
In 1980, Kent started the Life Extension Foundation
Life Extension Foundation
The Life Extension Foundation is a non-profit research-based foundation headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, established by co-founders Saul Kent and William Faloon in 1980...
, a membership organization that informs people about the latest advances in the life extension
Life extension
Life extension science, also known as anti-aging medicine, experimental gerontology, and biomedical gerontology, is the study of slowing down or reversing the processes of aging to extend both the maximum and average lifespan...
sciences, sells dietary supplement
Dietary supplement
A dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional supplement, is a preparation intended to supplement the diet and provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids, that may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantities in a person's diet...
s, and funds life extension research by offering grants to scientists in universities and by supporting startup biotech companies.
Mr. Kent is also involved in a project called Timeship, which involves building a unique facility designed by architect Stephen Valentine to house companies conducting research in the life extension
Life extension
Life extension science, also known as anti-aging medicine, experimental gerontology, and biomedical gerontology, is the study of slowing down or reversing the processes of aging to extend both the maximum and average lifespan...
and reanimation sciences and provide long-term care for cryopreserved humans.
In 2000, Kent appeared on documentary filmmaker Errol Morris
Errol Morris
Errol Mark Morris is an American director. In 2003, The Guardian put him seventh in its list of the world's 40 best directors. Also in 2003, his film The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.-Early life and...
' television series First Person, where he discussed in depth his beliefs and motivations, as well as the investigation into the cryopreservation
Cryopreservation
Cryopreservation is a process where cells or whole tissues are preserved by cooling to low sub-zero temperatures, such as 77 K or −196 °C . At these low temperatures, any biological activity, including the biochemical reactions that would lead to cell death, is effectively stopped...
of his own mother's head so her brain could be restored at a later date.
See also
- Alcor Life Extension FoundationAlcor Life Extension FoundationThe Alcor Life Extension Foundation, most often referred to as Alcor, is a Scottsdale, Arizona, USA-based nonprofit company that researches, advocates for and performs cryonics, the preservation of humans in liquid nitrogen after legal death, with hopes of restoring them to full health when new...
- Life Extension FoundationLife Extension FoundationThe Life Extension Foundation is a non-profit research-based foundation headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, established by co-founders Saul Kent and William Faloon in 1980...
- Twenty-First Century MedicineTwenty-First Century Medicine21st Century Medicine is a California cryobiological research company which has as its primary focus the development of perfusates and protocols for viable long-term cryopreservation of human organs, tissues and cells at cryogenic temperatures through the use of vitrification. Dr. Gregory M...
- American Academy of Anti-Aging MedicineAmerican Academy of Anti-Aging MedicineThe American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine is a United States registered 501 nonprofit organization that promotes the field of anti-aging medicine and trains and certifies physicians in this specialty. As of 2011, approximately 26,000 practitioners had been given certificates...
External links
- Alcor Life Extension Foundation
- BioMarker Pharmaceuticals
- Life Extension Foundation
- Suspended Animation
- Timeship