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Is aging a thing of the past?
December 21, 2013 at 3:08 am
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-20/sc...ce/5168580
According to this article, a test was conducted on mice in which they managed to reverse the aging process on them. If this is the case, and there are not any long term side-effects this project will move into the human testing phase. This very well could mark the end of us humans getting old and brittle.
I'm just curious what people think about this? I don't claim to be a scientist so I won't try to assert that I know anything in the science world as absolute truth, but this looks pretty legit, and I'd certainly love to get a chance to live a hyper extended life.
Anyone else feel like living forever?
There is no God, so can we please get back to science?
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Re: Is aging a thing of the past?
December 21, 2013 at 3:16 am
I did read an article a few days ahoy stating that the first person to live to 1000 could be alive today. I'm not sure it's a good thing considering the current state of overpopulation.
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RE: Is aging a thing of the past?
December 21, 2013 at 3:27 am
(December 21, 2013 at 3:16 am)StuW Wrote: I did read an article a few days ahoy stating that the first person to live to 1000 could be alive today. I'm not sure it's a good thing considering the current state of overpopulation.
It's only what we make it to be. I think we definitely need to figure out space travel as fast as possible. Given the state of affairs on earth, global warming my leave us out a planet in the 'not too distant' future, and I'd really enjoy not dying. :p
As for overpopulation. That's only an issue if we don't have enough food for the population. I think at the current time we could feed everyone on the planet, but chose not to. In the future though the population could hit a point of instability, but I'd hope we'd be planet hopping by then and spreading the human race to various regions of the universe to further our species and our knowledge of science.
There is no God, so can we please get back to science?
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RE: Is aging a thing of the past?
December 22, 2013 at 6:06 pm
I wouldn't worry.
The aging process is complex and affects every system in the body. It's not the sort of thing which is driven by a single chemical. It's like a car with 100,000 miles on the clock. We may find a way to fix the engine but the clutch, gearbox, chassis, suspension etc will still be fucked. I think this is one of those times when the headline makes the scientist cry.
"Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken."
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RE: Is aging a thing of the past?
December 22, 2013 at 6:09 pm
(December 22, 2013 at 6:06 pm)Jacob(smooth) Wrote: I wouldn't worry.
The aging process is complex and affects every system in the body. It's not the sort of thing which is driven by a single chemical. It's like a car with 100,000 miles on the clock. We may find a way to fix the engine but the clutch, gearbox, chassis, suspension etc will still be fucked. I think this is one of those times when the headline makes the scientist cry.
Still, even if this doesn't pan out. I'd love to get dialog rolling on the concept. Theories on how perhaps, or just a realistic outline of how long anyone thought it'd probably take to achieve reversed aging.
There is no God, so can we please get back to science?
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RE: Is aging a thing of the past?
December 22, 2013 at 6:16 pm
Dunno about reversed aging. One of the fundamental changes is the alterations to collagen, which forms most of the "scaffolding" of most of the body's structures. If we could find a way to address that it would make connective tissue much better. But that that would still only address degeneration, not wear. I've seen 20 year old with fucked joints. Being young does not equal being healthy! Eternally youthful arteries may not sclerose but they would still clog. There is a limit to a body's ability to repair itself.
I think that's a good thing too. Can't think of much worse than living forever!
"Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken."
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RE: Is aging a thing of the past?
December 22, 2013 at 6:39 pm
I wouldn't mind living longer. But forever? FFFFFFFFFF that man. No. I'm sure it's a matter of time though before medical sciences progress enough to extend the life span. But of course, that will put a burden on overpopulation (Like we don't have enough people on the rock as is).
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RE: Is aging a thing of the past?
December 22, 2013 at 6:40 pm
(December 22, 2013 at 6:16 pm)Jacob(smooth) Wrote: Dunno about reversed aging. One of the fundamental changes is the alterations to collagen, which forms most of the "scaffolding" of most of the body's structures. If we could find a way to address that it would make connective tissue much better. But that that would still only address degeneration, not wear. I've seen 20 year old with fucked joints. Being young does not equal being healthy! Eternally youthful arteries may not sclerose but they would still clog. There is a limit to a body's ability to repair itself.
I think that's a good thing too. Can't think of much worse than living forever!
Who said you had to live forever? I think if you've lived 200,000 years and you wanna be done with it, I can safely assume you've thought it through pretty well. So who would I be to deny you that?
Now to what you said, I had figured as much. It could still potentially buy you some time for further advancements in medical technology.
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RE: Is aging a thing of the past?
December 22, 2013 at 6:45 pm
Here's fun. If we eliminated death by natural causes how much more terrifying would death become?
I mean at the moment it's inevitable. Some of us will die younger, some will live to lose our dignity and become a burden to those we love, but we all die sooner or later. Hoe much worse if any death represented the loss of centuries of joy instead of mere decades!
"Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken."
Sith code
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RE: Is aging a thing of the past?
December 22, 2013 at 6:48 pm
(December 22, 2013 at 6:45 pm)Jacob(smooth) Wrote: Here's fun. If we eliminated death by natural causes how much more terrifying would death become?
I mean at the moment it's inevitable. Some of us will die younger, some will live to lose our dignity and become a burden to those we love, but we all die sooner or later. Hoe much worse if any death represented the loss of centuries of joy instead of mere decades!
I dunno, I think someone who probably lived for centuries would probably have a pretty mature view on life (assuming things such as brain problems and dementia were no longer a thing).
I think it would be difficult to postulate living that long. I still have a hard time postulating my future self at 40 or 50 or 60 or 70 or 80.
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