The man who decided to freeze his body (it’s still frozen today)

28 Apr 2026 · 1 min

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In this narrated segment, Dan Novaes tells the story of James Bedford, a psychology professor who, after being diagnosed with terminal cancer in 1967, chose to become the first person to undergo cryonic preservation. Bedford's body was placed in liquid nitrogen at approximately -196 °C shortly after his death, with the hope that future scientific advances might one day revive him. Decades have passed, technology has progressed, yet no successful revival from cryonics has occurred, and Bedford's body remains frozen. Novaes reflects on the nature of such a decision, emphasizing that it was driven not by certainty but by belief in possible future possibilities.

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James Bedford became the first person to have his body frozen in hopes of future revival. In 1967, Bedford, a psychology professor, was diagnosed with terminal cancer. At the time, a controversial idea was emerging: cryonics. The concept was simple but radical: preserve the human body at extremely low temperatures immediately after death, with the hope that future science could bring it back to life. Bedford chose to take the risk. After his death, his body was placed in liquid nitrogen at around -196°C. Decades passed. Technology advanced. But revival from cryonics has never been achieved. Even today, his body remains preserved. Bedford didn't know if it would work. He made a decision based on a future that didn't yet exist. Sometimes the most unusual choices are not about certainty. They are about belief in what might be possible one day.