DOES New Scientist magazine's "to die for" promotion include a free subscription after your cryonics-treated body is unfrozen and brought back to life?

(c) Nationwide News Proprietary Ltd, 2002.

Sources: AUSTRALIAN (THE) 20/09/2002 P10

By Stephen Brook * Marketing writer.

NEW Scientist has just announced a special offer designed to boost the magazine's circulation - but readers can't take advantage of it until their own has stopped.

One "lucky" reader will win a chance for another life via a $US28,000 ($51,000) cryonics treatment in what the magazine is calling a worldwide "promotion to die for".

The prize involves the winner's body - after they have been declared legally dead - being prepared and cooled to a temperature where decay stops.

The body will then be suspended in liquid nitrogen at the Cryonics Institute in Michigan and revived "when and if medical technology allows".

"Some people have a great appetite for life - they wouldn't mind two," the magazine's Australasian editor, Rachel Nowak, said yesterday.

The effectiveness of cryonic treatment is not yet certain, but we live in an age where science fiction and fantasy can fast become science fact. Several living creatures have already been frozen and revived and some eminent scientists plan to be cryonically preserved after their death.

"The future is upon us mighty quickly due to advances in biology over the last decade," Nowak said.

She does not fear the stunt will harm the magazine's image. "That's science, there's always debate and argument and disagreement. Of course some people think it isn't going to work."

In Australia an advertising campaign will be launched to herald the magazine's redesign and new sections. The magazine's latest circulation was 21,407 copies, up from 20,876 a year ago.

New Scientist is relaunching in the US next month and its worldwide readership is increasing at a time when stems cells, cloning and other scientific issues are at the forefront of political debate.

"Research is a quintessential human endeavour - you or me have as much right of access to that field as scientists," Nowak said.

Those who want a chance to win the cryonics prize need to collect three tokens from the magazine and complete the entry form. The competition closes on October 30.

(c) Nationwide News Proprietary Ltd, 2002.

Sources: AUSTRALIAN (THE) 20/09/2002 P5