In 1967, Dr. James Hiram Bedford became the first person to undergo cryonic preservation, hoping future science could revive him. Bedford, a psychology professor and World War I veteran, had lived a rich life, traveling the world and exploring remote areas. However, after being diagnosed with terminal kidney cancer, he chose to be frozen after death, inspired by Dr. Robert Ettinger’s book on cryonics.
On January 12, 1967, after Bedford’s death, his body was preserved in liquid nitrogen at minus 196 degrees Celsius. This groundbreaking experiment was only the second known attempt at cryonic preservation.
