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Experts in the US have shown that they can preserve brains and bodies in a state of suspended animation where they freeze an individual to sub-zero temperatures and revive them at a time of choosing in the future.
Researchers have so far only achieved this in zebra fish embryos but it is a major breakthrough as 60 years worth of similar testing had proven unsuccessful.
The problem was when something is frozen, it expands and destroys cells, so experts had added an anti-freeze solution.
However, even with anti-freeze, there were significant issues during the defrosting phase.
The researchers write in their paper published in the journal ACS Nano: "The large size of the yolk still impedes rapid cooling and warming, thereby yielding lethal ice crystal formation during cryopreservation."
But the major breakthrough has come in adding another solution to the anti-freeze - gold nano-rods.
When the minuscule rods are added to the anti-freeze, lasers are shot at the frozen embryos which were frozen to -196C.
The nano-rods conduct the laser's heat, allowing the embryos to be warmed up much quicker.
Some 10 per cent of the embryos survived and then continued to grow as normal.
Not only can this technique be used in the future to help humans live forever, or at least be awoken at a future point of their choosing, but it could potentially be used for long distance space travel.
As humanity gears up to colonise the solar system, there is a risk people could suffer insanity when isolated for such long periods of time.
Mars alone would take six months to reach with current technology, and it took an unmanned spacecraft nine and a half years to reach Pluto on the edge of the solar system.
By placing astronauts in a state of suspended animation, where they will not require as much food or water as well as other basic facilities - which would make the craft much lighter and quicker - would also minimise damage to the individuals mental state.
its already a reality