We're dying!

[kaizasosei]

once you hit 20 you've used up, give or take, 80% of your ability to divide most your bodies cells. At some point, degeneration is the next step. It's because of the telomerase loss. Science is looking into overriding this but as it stands, life has a limiter and that is the telomerase loss upon maturity.

Take note of the finite nature of life.

How long do you think it will be before science can manipulate this to produce really longliving people(150+)?
I personally think that they can already manipulate it to some degree.
Chinese alchemy claims there are ways to override aging or stall it-so does science in the form of exercise and nutrition.

Otherwise, degeneration and aging is the natural course.


Any thoughts?


j

 

[tshadowchaser]

Keeping the body alive and keeping the mind alive and active may be a different thing. I would rather die at 80 or 100 and have an active mind then to live to 150 and have lost my ability to think at 75. If science can keep the mind alert when they discover how to keep the body alive longer it could be interesting.
Now look at the thought of overpopulation that will also occur with the longer life spans

 

[Archangel M]

The ideal life..maintain function and quality of life for as long as possible then die quickly. Prefreably in bed with my bikini model girlfriend.

 

[Jenna]

Yes, I believe aging is a physiological factor that theoretically should be preventable and possibly reversible. I agree with tshadowchaser above though insofar as physical longevity without an equal mental faculty would be a hell not worth living. And but I think that neurological degeneration - once the aging gene is mapped - will also be preventable and hopefully reversable. Of course while we wait, that does not excuse laziness in taking our own preventative aging measures Just the opinion of an ignorant layperson

The question for me is, would living longer endow our existence with greater meaning?

Yr most obdt hmble srvt,
Jenna

 

[Bruno@MT]

You'll still die allright.
I read about a study into longevity after biological engineering, and the conclusion was that even with perfect biological anti-aging theraphies, you'll still die before you hit 1000 years.
The reason was simply that statistics determine that you're bound to have suffered a fatal accident by the time you hit 920 IIRC.

 

[jarrod]

You'll still die allright.
I read about a study into longevity after biological engineering, and the conclusion was that even with perfect biological anti-aging theraphies, you'll still die before you hit 1000 years.
The reason was simply that statistics determine that you're bound to have suffered a fatal accident by the time you hit 920 IIRC.

nuh-uh. i got magic fatal accident proof armour that gives me +90 defend.

jf

 

[morph4me]

IMO quality of life is much more important than length. If I can sustain a good quality of life and live for 150 years I'm all for it, if not then what's the point? I'd rather live than exist.

 

[Ken Morgan]

nuh-uh. I got magic fatal accident proof armour that gives me +90 defend.

Jf

lol!

 

[astrobiologist]

At some point, degeneration is the next step. It's because of the telomerase loss.

Not quite. We believe, with some certainty, that the loss of the telomere, the repetitve sequencing at the end of DNA strands, and associated proteins and glycoproteins acts like a "biological clock" and directly effects aging through shifting in gene translation. There are, however, many other variables that we believe effect the aging process. From genetic disposition, metabolic decay, and mutation, to environmental factors such as cigarette smoking (influx of carcinogenic factors) or breaking a hip. The telomere is shortened by a few bases after evey replication of the DNA, so, over the course of many replications, it gets shorter and shorter.

Telomerase is an enzyme which lengthens the telomere. Telomerase is highly active in undifferentiated cells, such as basal cells or crypt cells (think emryonic stem cells), and is extremely active in cancer. As cells differentiate, the action of telomerase appears to slacken, if not halt altogether. I personally do not know what is believed to be the cause of this. I do know that it is still somewhat uncertain how we could appropriately activate production of telomerase so as to extend our telomeres in hope to extend our lifespans without invariably causing rampant cancer and thusly causing a much shortened lifespan.

I have hope for the future, that we may find better ways to extend our lives while maintaining good health and function. For the time being, though, I suggest a healthy diet and maintaining physical fitness.

Oh ya, one more thing, ya know how sea turtles live to be very old (in fact we're not sure yet how old they can live to be)? It has been shown that their cells produce telomerase long after differentiation. Thus, their telomeres do not shorten and they can live for very long periods of time, until environmental factors (human hunters, pollution, fishermen's nets) or genetic mutation cause their demise. I need to catch up on the current research, but last I heard it is thought that some of these turtles may be able to live over 1000 years... Pretty nifty.

 

[Grenadier]

Astrobiologist hit it on the nose. Excellent summary.

I would dread to think, however, what some of the consequences of a greatly-increased lifespan would produce.

If you think the Social Security Ponzi scheme is bad now, think of what it would be under those situations. The same holds true for Medicare, etc.

In the end, I'm not worried about aging, since it's a natural process, and that if I've been able to live a full life, rich with experiences, then I will have considered my time to be finished in this world. Hopefully, I will have passed on a good deal of knowledge to others, and in the end, have made a positive impact on this world.

The way I see it, people telling me that I'm in the process of dying reminds me of the movie Citizen Kane, where Charles Foster Kane's advisor, Mr. Thatcher, tells him that he lost a million dollars last year. Kane's response:

"You're right, I did lose a million dollars last year. I expect to lose a million dollars this year. I expect to lose a million dollars *next* year. You know, Mr. Thatcher, at the rate of a million dollars a year, I'll have to close this place in... 60 years." -Charles Foster Kane

In the meantime, I have too many things to worry about in the way of the lab and the dojo, before I consider my aging / death process.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Doctor, doctor will I die?
Yes, my dear and so will I.

Richard Lamm, former Governor of Colorado, said:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Lamm

In 1984, his outspoken statements in support of physician-assisted suicide generated some controversy, specifically over his use of the phrase "we have a duty to die." Lamm later explained that he "was essentially raising a general statement about the human condition, not beating up on the elderly," and that the exact phrasing in the speech was "We've got a duty to die and get out of the way with all of our machines and artificial hearts and everything else like that and let the other society, our kids, build a reasonable life." [1] His dire predictions for the future of social security and health care ("duty to die") earned him the nickname "Governor Gloom".

Who wants to live forever? Well, I do. But I won't, and I guess that's OK. Life goes on - well, not for me, but I guess for whomever's left.

Besides, I have still sometimes entertain the notion that my entire life is a dream, and when I wake up, you guys are all goners.

 

[zDom]

My plan is to live to be 120. Probably still not enough time.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Probably still not enough time.

To do what?

 

[jarrod]

"lots of people who wish for immortality don't know what to do on a rainy afternoon"

i forgot who said that, but i thought it was pertinent.

jf

 

[kaizasosei]

I need to catch up on the current research, but last I heard it is thought that some of these turtles may be able to live over 1000 years... Pretty nifty.

HOLY SHLOMOLY!!! I did not think that they lived that long. I mean i know in japanese they say, tsuru wa sennen, kame wa mannen- meaning the crane is a thousand years(lives), the turtle is tenthousand.
I've often been told that by people with a dead serious look on their faces.
But honestly, i did not think that the turtles lived to a thousand- just now my gf said that some have been found to be over a thousand but that the environmental problems mess them up.

Sorry for getting the telomers wrong. This is all quite new to me. I knew about the limits of cell reproduction, but i didn't know the specifics until recently. Apparently, the telomeres resemble the plastic ends on the shoestrings. Once their wasted away they get all frayed out. I read a bunch of really crazy conspiracy stuff too.
Sure is facinating.

Basically, i like the idea that one should plan for a long time but be ready to die anytime. I don't really believe in death as much as i do loss and damage.




j

 

[zDom]

To do what?

"The question isn't 'What are we going to do,' the question is 'What aren't we going to do?'"

 

[seasoned]

I'll be getting there before you all, so I will let you know with a thread on MT.

 

[Kembudo-Kai Kempoka]

Eat right, stay fit, die anyway.

 

[Makalakumu]

Here is a link to a movie on Life Extension. There certainly are a lot of cranks out there on the internet regarding this topic, but some aspects of this video are interesting.

I think some form of life extension will become possible in the future, in fact, probably within my lifetime. If given the option to extend my life, I would probably take it.

 

[Archangel M]

Expanding population coupled with extended lifespan?

We better get going on space exploration and colonization.