14 replies to this topic

[stevethegreat]

First of, sorry for my ignorance but I am new in here.

So my question goes:
Is there any known way working for the extension of human life?
I mean if there is any chance sth like this to happen in the following years. Although I enjoy philosophical conversations, I fed up of them as they are talking with "if", I want a more "scientific" view.

I am interested for this because in my twenties (I am 20) I have already realised how small life is and how little things you can do. My concern is to know things. If I am not rushed from death I can do many things that I like.
Thing about it, whatever we do is due to someday we'll die. That's why we go to university so early (I consider early the first 18 years). It is because we must learn sth to use it in our small lives and live in prosperity. I know that if I don't graduate from university I will be doomed as others will take my place, and I'll loose 5-10 years of my "precious" life to get straight, if ever. And all that because of rushing. If I wasn't concerned of that I would learn as many as I would like too and I wouldn't be worried for future much, as there would be always time for it.

However I see there is no much hope for it and I consider my generation one of the last don't have the chance. What a pity to be an old man when my grand-chilren will be bornt, while my grandchild will be young by the time his/hers is being bornt.

[reason]

Welcome aboard - fortunately you're quite wrong about the hope. It's not going to be a cakewalk, but the future is what we make it to be; the science of healthy life extension is close enough that enough aggressive funding could make it happen in decades. Look at what has been done for cancer, AIDS and Alzheimer's in the past few decades as a benchmark for what could be done for aging. Stick around and read the news article - you'll see what I mean.

The things to do at the moment are calorie restriction, stay healthy and help support serious research into beating aging - oh, and talk other people into seeing things your way. That last one is pretty important too. See the following:

http://www.longevity...e_extension.cfm
http://www.longevity...1&article_id=16
http://www.longevity...ree_hundred.cfm
http://www.mprize.org/
http://www.gen.cam.ac.uk/sens/

and of course http://www.imminst.org/fullmembers/ (scroll down)

Reason
Founder, Longevity Meme
reason@longevitymeme.org
http://www.longevitymeme.org

[John Schloendorn]

Nope, at the moment there is no "scientifically" confirmed way to extend the human life span. And this is not going to change for a very long time, since testing whether any such treatment works per definition takes a very long time and the only such experiment that is currently running launched only recently. (And it pertains to caloric restriction, which does not give more than 10% at adult onset in any animal tested.)

We have nothing more than a number of educated guesses how to extend human life. These come from extrapolation both from life extension in animals, where heaps of studies exist, and from basic science understanding. You will gradually discover these things as you check around.

At any rate, there's a lot to be done and my take is that it's not going to get done in our generation when people don't let rip in MUCH larger numbers. (I'm 25) So what do you study?

[Michael]

Is there any known way working for the extension of human life?

At the moment, there is no conclusively proven way, no. However, calorie restriction has by orders of magnitude the strongest evidence supporting its efficacy as an anti-aging intervention (per se) than anything else; see, eg, this full-text review on evidence for CR in humans.

Yes, that sucks . However, CR is genuinely doable, and not the impossibility or misery often imputed in the pop press.

Ultimately, however, we need much more effective interventions. Accordingly, you should throw some money into the Methuselah Foundation to accelerate the development of true anti-aging biomedicine, and if you are in University, consider going into a field where you can work on true anti-aging medicine.

-Michael

[stevethegreat]

if you are in University, consider going into a field where you can work on true anti-aging medicine

I am sorry to dissapoint you but I study computer's science. I know there is some way from this to work on life extension programs, but not in my country, Greece. We are here 20 years behind modern countries . No we are not third-world, but we are lacking technology. If someone is to learn or work on technology matters has to move abroad. It is sth that I myself would probably do when I 'll graduate.

Back on topic:
I have read here and in other threads,too, that in about 30years there will be an "outbreak" of technology. What makes you believe this? Will life extension will be included in this "outbreak"?

fortunately you're quite wrong about the hope

I am a bit pessimist about this matter due to the fact that people started to work on "anti-age" project only a few years ago, which means it will require veeery much time to be accesible for the people. Maybe I am mistaken,but ,I also see a small number of scientists (relatively) to study this matter meticulously. So that makes, maybe, more than 70-80 to have good results, if any. Anyway I won't be alive by then so will get rid of that my grand-childer, as I stated in my previous post.

I am writing all the above because I want to be realist about the current and furure situations. I don't want to get my hopes up and then fall over.

[reason]

Look at it this way - if we don't try, then we certainly fail.

There is always cryonics if we do fail, however, which is of some comfort to those of us who are fairly sure we won't be alive to benefit from the coming medical revolutions.

In terms of timescale, I believe it looks something like this (assuming that a reasonable activist community grows to be on the same scale as cancer, AIDS or Alzheimer's advocacy):

http://www.fightagin...ives/000006.php

In other words, 20 years from now we'll see the most common cancer and age-related diseases under control - so much money is going into those efforts that I find it hard to believe we won't see real progress. This will probably supply us with an extra 20-30 years - for those of us who save enough money to pay for it.

http://www.fightagin...ives/000057.php

We must use that time to find either a biotech or nanotech cure for aging - and vastly refine our ability to repair age-inflicted damage. That extra time gained from cancer medicine and regenerative medicine is incidental life extension; there must be directed efforts to halt the aging process above and beyond that.

If I, after all the time I've spent looking at this, didn't think we could do it, I'd be spending 100% of my time advancing cryonics.

http://www.longevity...cs/cryonics.cfm

Reason
Founder, Longevity Meme
reason@longevitymeme.org
http://www.longevitymeme.org/

[John Schloendorn]

I don't want to get my hopes up and then fall over.

Now thats a good example of the greatest mistake of our time regarding that matter. Either you want it, then try. Or you don't want it then leave it. But how can you possibly not want it because you actually want it strongly, I'm sorry that's just nuts.
I guess it will surprise you to hear that it is among our most debated concerns how to break exactly this paradoxical doom loop in huge numbers of people's heads.

[stevethegreat]

Now thats a good example of the greatest mistake of our time regarding that matter. Either you want it, then try. Or you don't want it then leave it. But how can you possibly not want it because you actually want it strongly,  I'm sorry that's just nuts.
I guess it will surprise you to hear that it is among our most debated concerns how to break exactly this paradoxical doom loop in huge numbers of people's heads.

If I myself was researching about life extension I would be sure that I will achieve this; Either it would be a realistic target or not. If I don't think I can achieve sth I don't even try it, on the other hand if I believe it I try very hard to "fall".

The above is a different story. If ever I' ll be in life extension team I will be the first there saying we can do this, but now I am just watcher and as a watcher I have the chance to admit how realistic the target is. I have never said it can't be done, then I wouldn't be there, this very belief drove me in this forums. However I see with my eyes that it is very very difficult at the time being. Situations can be changed and then I will change my stance too. But being a realist in my life I can't just say "hey it will be a piece of cake; I don't have to worry" - this very worry motivates people, we can't be sleeping - so I just say "Maybe, but very difficult", for today's situations, I say again.

I don't want to offend anyone, I just want to show how is my way of thinking.

[John Schloendorn]

Nay worries, as you can see from my post, I was not very concerned about not being offensive either ;-)

Now I don't think we're in any position to judge how realistic the goal of reversing human aging is at this time. My take is that it's simply so beneficial that we have to try, nearly no matter how unrealistic it may seem.
I was just trying to point out that I do not see any room for the possibility of being disappointed to play any role in the choice of whether or not to try. If we fail, we're not going to be disappointed, but we're going to be dead.

[stevethegreat]

Now I don't think we're in any position to judge how realistic the goal of reversing human aging is at this time. My take is that it's simply so beneficial that we have to try, nearly no matter how unrealistic it may seem.

I judge how realistic immortaly or at least extension of human life is by what we have know in our hands, how our society works and how much effort and money is being put in researching, at least for now. There must be all the above standards on the right condition to call the goal realistic for the following decades.

To be more presice: A)we now know very few things about anti-aging (the stem-cell research started only at 1998 and nanotechnology is to its "first steps"), however process may start to go faster and faster and in course of little years we may have some decent results.

B) Nowadays society is in-wrought with the idea of death; every person acts having in mind that someday will die, however this is reversable with over-years people's eduction about this matter so that they will be ready when time comes and won't reject immortality or at least life extension to, say, 1000 years. But the biggest problem comes from them having the big money and running the big companies and, why not, rulling the world. They do want people know they will die so that they buy and buy and buy.... things, after all -as people in that situation think - we all going to die someday, so at least enjoy in our small lives (buying things). My point is if ever the cure of aging been discoreved why not them outlaw it (of course they will get rid of this and stay young forever, but.....). However even this can be reversed by a revolution, like French's one long years ago, and make the cure accesible to all the people. Nobody wants to loose what he/she has conquered, I think, this will probably be the thinking of the, about 30, powerful persons around the world.

C) The researching teams on this matters are really few and they are not heavily supported as it sould be so that have the results they want -maybe due to some reasons I reffered above. This means development goes very slow and maybe their descendants have the first good results.

From all the above it can easily be understood that we have only found the root of the mountain and reaching the top will be far for easy and will require many years-decades-centuries.

My point is the opposite from being dissapointed, instead we must now march and climb the mountain as soon as possible, if it can be made in 15 years let's be this, not a year after. Comprehended all this made me wnat to help this attempt whatever way possible and from now on I promised to myself that I'll do this. This is our ultimate battle from all the centuries passed

[John Schloendorn]

I could not agree more. Welcome aboard. And be assured that a computer scientist will find something to do around here! I have the impression that's what most members are. Must be some weird selection effect.

[kevin]

"Maybe, but very difficult" is a LOT better than "NO chance at all" which is what pretty much every generation before us has had. Given that little bit of 'maybe' versus the *guarantee* of death at the end of it all if no one tries.. it seems to simply make so much more sense to make some meaning of one's time trying.. We're pushing a very big boulder up a hill but the top of the hill is in sight.. the more shoulders to the task the better..

very nice to have you involved..

[treonsverdery]

Steve
give a little time to studying compiler structure

[immortalitysystems.com]

To realy get the IMMORTALITY as a choice awareness in to the population in a big way we need a "mutation" on the meme structure of culture. What will triger the breakdown of the memes that suport the "death is the only natural outcome of life" awareness?
The new "meme" that will sponsor/suport the technology that will lead to having the choice of "eternal youthfullness" may well be perceived as aberrant behavier, because it would have to disrupt the status quo.
Maybe there will be a smal out of the way country that has the money and the moral courage to triger the "meme mutation" we are looking/hoping for.

Are we ready to fight for IMMORTALITY?