Published: April 24, 2007
Is Today's Science Fiction Tomorrow's Reality?
Imagine a world where you can 'speak' to your friends telepathically, use a machine to turn your ideas into reality and where you can even take your mind out of your body and fly like a bird. Pretty amazing stuff - sounds like you've stepped right into the middle of a science fiction story. But what if these ideas that are considered far-fetched right now, really could be part of humankind's future?
That's the idea behind a new children's book, 21st Century Kids by Shannon Vyff. "In the early days of the Wright brothers' experimentation, most people chalked up the idea of human flight as pure fiction," says Vyff. "They couldn't believe humans would ever be able to fly, yet now we realize the Wright Brothers knew what they were talking about. I think the same can apply to other areas of human exploration and science."
Vyff's own children played a big role in writing the book; they are the inspiration for the main characters in the book, served as sounding boards for the ideas and proofed the final version. They are also featured along with Vyff in an upcoming Barbara Walters Special, "How To Live To Be 150."
21st Century Kids features many types of science that are considered exploratory in our time but have become fully developed in the future. The main characters in the story are a brother and sister, Avryn and Avianna, who are 'killed' in a car accident in the year 2008. But their bodies and minds have been preserved through cryonics and they are 're-animated' in the year 2189. And WOW - has the world changed during the nearly 200 years that they were in preservation.
They discover that while they were 'resting,' ideas that were the subject of great debate in their day have now become reality. Humans no longer age, they can be re-animated if they were cryonically preserved and thanks to nanotechnology, the human body can repair itself. While many things have changed for the better, they also discover that science hasn't fixed all the problems caused by mankind, such as massive pollution that makes part of the world uninhabitable for humans.
"I wanted the story to reflect the impact that each of us has on the health of our planet," says Vyff. "I want children to have fun reading this book and being awed by the scientific possibilities of the future; yet I hope they will also think about the possibilities they each have for making our Earth a healthier place."
21st Century Kids also explores the controversial subject of cryonics, or the frozen preservation of a person's body after legal death occurs, in a positive way. The characters all share their viewpoints on cryonics and the impact it could have on families and the world in general.
"I wanted to open kids' minds to the idea of tolerance and acceptance of others' beliefs," says Vyff. "The scientific basis for cryonics is well-documented and there's reason to believe that someday, humans will have the medical knowledge to revive those who are considered legally dead. I also wanted to dispel some of the negative myths surrounding cryonics. Cryonics is a way to be optimistic about having more time to help with the world's problems."
21st Century Kids, by Shannon Vyff
Paperback: 287 pages
Publisher: Warren Publishing
Visit www.21stCenturyKidsbook.com for more information about the book and Shannon Vyff.
Shannon Vyff started her career out of high school as an award winning photographer and writer, including the Madeleine L'Engle Young Writer's Award. She continued her writing endeavors by contributing an essay to the Imminst book 'The Scientific Conquest of Death.'
As a spokesperson for anti-aging research and lifestyles, she has been interviewed by numerous magazines and news organizations, including Barbara Walters, 20/20 as well as Marie Claire, and Oprah's magazine. Shannon is an Alcor member, a Methuselah Foundation supporter and Calorie Restriction practitioner.
In addition to donating to and volunteering for several National and International organizations, she volunteers for her local Unitarian Universalist Church and La Leche League group. She lives in Austin, Texas with her three children: Avianna, Avryn and Avalyse and husband Michael.
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