"A fascinating look into the strange and sometimes unbelievable history of hypothermic medicine. Jaekl weaves together a story that is part history lesson and part science thriller. This is truly a must-read for any fan of science and science fiction!" -Douglas Talk, MD/MPH, chief medical consultant, SpaceWorks Inc., Human Torpor Project

The meaning of the word "hypothermia" has Greek origins and roughly translates to "less heat." Its symptoms can be deadly-shivering, followed by confusion, irrationality, and even the illusion of feeling hot. But hypothermia has another side-it can be therapeutic.

In Out Cold, science writer Phil Jaekl chronicles the underappreciated story of human innovation with cold, from Ancient Egypt, where it was used to treat skin irritations, to eighteenth-century London, where scientists used it in their first explorations of suspended animation. Throughout history, physicians have used...