Eternal Life

[Lilith]

ok well not eternal but a hella long time

"In principle, if you understood the mechanisms of keeping things repaired, you could keep things going indefinitely," says Cynthia Kenyon, a geneticist at the University of California at San Francisco. In 1993, she discovered a set of genes in worms that seem to control a pathway of genes that regulate aging. She was able to suppress the action of one to increase a worm's life span by six times and keep it young. Now researchers have extended the life span of mice by more than 30%, and they expect even longer-lived mice. Unlike worms, these fellow mammals share at least 70% of our genes. Kenyon co-founded Elixer Pharmaceuticals. The goal: to develop a Fountain of Youth pill, perhaps leading to sprightly centenarians. The drug's first use, still years off if it works, would be to delay diseases of aging, such as Huntington's disease and some cancers.

http://www.usaweekend.com/05_issues/050619/050619science.html


If you could, would you alter your genes to enable you to live for say 150 years? If your body would age proportionately would you?

[jseal]

Lilith,

Yes mam, I certainly would. Life is, as they say, too short.

[wyndhy]

if i could be relatively healthy, still work and make money, be active and live independently, without having to rely on someone else to wipe my butt, then absolutely. i’m thinking of the things i could do and explore, the great-great-grandkids i would meet.

but that's being selfish and foolish. if everyone who could lived to be 200 or more, just imagine the drain on our economy, food supply, infrastructure, etc.

i've read about andlistened to programs about this topic. i believe it's going to be one of those sciences that outpace what our earth can actually handle

[PantyFanatic]

As an individual in the present, no.

My initial thoughts are that extending human functional/contributing, life span by multiples of the present norm would only be beneficial in a global culture adapted to the same. Much like our current societies have developed in the last two centuries to accommodate and utilize a life expectancy of more than two score.

My second consideration is that the concerns held by many, of the planets capability to sustain the current population, let alone a MORE increasing one, is inadequate. Under the best of circumstances, it would require a Plato's Republic to function in any manner.

Now just bend over and I'll explain the benefits of TODAY. :p

[Oldfart]

In a heartbeat.

The body and alertness of a 30 year old, my world would open even further.

Society adapts.

[lizzardbits]

one of the many reasons Vampyres intrigue me--the longevity.

Yes I would, I would love to pack more life into my life :D

[pascal]

I like the idea.

And i would get to see my kids reach the point were they dance like me.
I smell revenge.

But seriously, i see so many problems. And the one i dread most would be if anything happened to one of my kids before it did me. There are some things a parent shouldn't have to see.

[wyndhy]

If you could, would you alter your genes to enable you to live for say 150 years? If your body would age proportionately would you?
how 'bout you, lil?

[Lilith]

It would depend on what happens second generation. Do the offspring automatically inherit the new gene info?

I would like to think that people may be more consciously aware if they had to spend a longer time on this earth.

[Oldfart]

Lil,

Didn't you envy Lazarus Long?