Harvard Researcher On Aging: There's No 'Limit On The Human Lifespan'

[Graeham]

I can just picture it.

"We've developed a cure for aging! You can live forever."
"oh..how much does it cost?"
"100 billion dollars."
"Oh well I don't ha..."
"You can work it off for us."

Sad but likely very true. I have no doubt that the human race will manage to discover a way to reverse aging in the future. It will, however, likely be exclusive to the filthy rich and those seen as brilliant. The regular masses will unlikely be given access to do it and we'll all be indoctrinated into believing that it's the most ethical approach.

[Delondial]

I'm not qualified to disagree with Sinclair's research, though there are plenty of detractors to do that for us. What I would protest is the somewhat misleading headline the Couric decided to go with. The goal is to hook readers, I get it. But this sensationalist approach to science does us all a disservice. The title is out of context, and makes it sound as though he's proposing humans can in fact live forever. But to her credit (or her video editing team) they included his clarification on the realistic limits of out lifespans; even if they did push it off till the end.

Also, while it may seem like a petty gripe, I really don't understand why a professional news correspondent wouldn't include links and citations for a science piece. Yes it isn't too difficult to track down the papers on your own if you know how to search properly, but as a journalist reporting on science, you really should be including your sources; interview or not.

Interested persons can sift through Sinclair's publications here.

[Kataroku]

You'll never be allowed to retire from work. Slave for all eternity!

[apepi]

I'm not qualified to disagree with Sinclair's research, though there are plenty of detractors to do that for us. What I would protest is the somewhat misleading headline the Couric decided to go with. The goal is to hook readers, I get it. But this sensationalist approach to science does us all a disservice. The title is out of context, and makes it sound as though he's proposing humans can in fact live forever. But to her credit (or her video editing team) they included his clarification on the realistic limits of out lifespans; even if they did push it off till the end.

Also, while it may seem like a petty gripe, I really don't understand why a professional news correspondent wouldn't include links and citations for a science piece. Yes it isn't too difficult to track down the papers on your own if you know how to search properly, but as a journalist reporting on science, you really should be including your sources; interview or not.

Interested persons can sift through Sinclair's publications here.

You talking about the Harvard or Yahoo link?

And the guy looks suprisingly young.

[Deleted]

Even if it's eventually possible to increase the lifespan of a human, or perhaps even some form of immortality, it's still something that only a handful of people are going to be allowed to make us of.

There is simply no reason to increase the lifespan of the average Joe.

[Delondial]

You talking about the Harvard or Yahoo link?

And the guy looks suprisingly young.

Couric's article.

And there are many factors that influence the appearance of age (stress, sunlight, calories, etc). He could very well have the right combination of lifestyle and genetics. I'm happy to tentatively accept the possibility his conclusions are correct, as again, I am unqualified to refute his research outright. Time will tell.

- - - Updated - - -

Even if it's eventually possible to increase the lifespan of a human, or perhaps even some form of immortality, it's still something that only a handful of people are going to be allowed to make us of.

There is simply no reason to increase the lifespan of the average Joe.

Correct. Not when there are 7 billion+ of us. Contraception people; please.

[Poopymonster]

Not when there are 7 billion+ of us. Contraception people; please.

Somewhere a man in a frilly white dress and a funny hat has a raging Papal Boner at the thought of his congregation A: not dying off and B: having their own fucking sports leagues worth of children who believe.

[Shadowmelded]

I think if it became known that a cure for aging was available but only for rich people, OWS would look like a family picnic.

As for the "why do we need more people on earth?" argument. Why would they necessarily all be on earth? Increased lifespans would make journeys previously too long for humans to embark on realistic right? Colonize other planets, suddenly resource scarcity isn't as big a deal anymore.

[Annoying]

Isn't heart disease #1?

Yep.

Ischaemic heart disease, stroke, lower respiratory infections and chronic obstructive lung disease are the top 4, in order.

[Deleted]

I think if it became known that a cure for aging was available but only for rich people, OWS would look like a family picnic.

As for the "why do we need more people on earth?" argument. Why would they necessarily all be on earth? Increased lifespans would make journeys previously too long for humans to embark on realistic right? Colonize other planets, suddenly resource scarcity isn't as big a deal anymore.

Yea or just stop having that many children. I mean if there was choice between never becoming a parent and eternal life, I'd choose eternal life in a heartbeat.

[Masark]

Ya but for a species that doesn't have a limited lifespan, their perception of time changes.

Also its not really the death of the universe, there will still be energy and black holes, its just things wont look like what we see now.

No, You're looking at the black hole era, which isn't the final state. In the end, the black holes will be gone, because black holes gradually lose their mass via Hawking radiation.

[Xisa]

Oh my God.

If you haven't read the source from the Harvard site, you need to do so.

[Stonecloak]

Eh I thinks it's natural that we die. Things probably get pretty darn boring after a while anyway.

[Xisa]

Eh I thinks it's natural that we die. Things probably get pretty darn boring after a while anyway.

We call it natural because we're forced to accept it.

I almost don't even want to think about it too much, because the research is so young.

But my God...we might have found out what physically and chemically causes aging.

[Deleted]

Isn't this old news? I think I read about this last year or something.

Oh and thoughts, I still believe in the theory that a human living for hundreds of years will eventually go insane.

[Stonecloak]

Then you're doing it wrong. Dying of ennui only happens if you pretty much give up caring... there is always something to do and see...

No, I happen to love life, but when you can barely move and do much because of age. Dying is just a very natural concept to me. Not just because we have to die, but because that type of life/death arrangement seems appropriate.

[Deleted]

No, I happen to love life, but when you can barely move and do much because of age. Dying is just a very natural concept to me. Not just because we have to die, but because that type of life/death arrangement seems appropriate.

Dunno I reckon people would go mentally insane after 200 years.

[Stonecloak]

Dunno I reckon people would go mentally insane after 200 years.

Probably, that among other possible issues.

[Tradewind]

I'd love to tack on another 100 years to the end of my life. More importantly, tack on 100 years or more to the lives of something of the real thinkers we have going right now. Think of how much more could be accomplished if the best and brightest weren't limited in their achievements by death.

[D4NNYB0Y]

People in this thread seem to be forgetting that there are ways to die other than old age and disease.