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Immortality only 20 years away says scientist
Telegraph UK ^ | September 22, 2009 | Amy Willis

Posted on 09/22/2009 4:16:27 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar

Scientist Ray Kurzweil claims humans could become immortal in as little as 20 years' time through nanotechnology and an increased understanding of how the body works.

The 61-year-old American, who has predicted new technologies arriving before, says our understanding of genes and computer technology is accelerating at an incredible rate. He says theoretically, at the rate our understanding is increasing, nanotechnologies capable of replacing many of our vital organs could be available in 20 years time.

Mr Kurzweil adds that although his claims may seem far-fetched, artificial pancreases and neural implants are already available.

Mr Kurzweil calls his theory the Law of Accelerating Returns. Writing in The Sun, Mr Kurzweil said: "I and many other scientists now believe that in around 20 years we will have the means to reprogramme our bodies' stone-age software so we can halt, then reverse, ageing. Then nanotechnology will let us live for ever.

"Ultimately, nanobots will replace blood cells and do their work thousands of times more effectively.

"Within 25 years we will be able to do an Olympic sprint for 15 minutes without taking a breath, or go scuba-diving for four hours without oxygen.

"Heart-attack victims – who haven't taken advantage of widely available bionic hearts – will calmly drive to the doctors for a minor operation as their blood bots keep them alive.

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Science; Society
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To: Jet Jaguar
Scientist Ray Kurzweil claims humans could become immortal in as little as 20 years' time through nanotechnology and an increased understanding of how the body works

Even if this were true, people will still die -- murder, plane crashes, auto accidents, execution, fire, falling off cliffs, ...

So there is really no such thing is "immortality".

21 posted on 09/22/2009 4:26:29 PM PDT by PallMal
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To: Jet Jaguar

TTAGGG bump


22 posted on 09/22/2009 4:26:32 PM PDT by M203M4 (NEW New Deal: A pot through every window!)
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To: Jet Jaguar

I’m contemplating an eternity deef, limp, and wrinkled. Tell me again why this is a good thing?


23 posted on 09/22/2009 4:27:10 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: cripplecreek

Don’t worry. Immortality is only the first step. Reverse aging comes next !


24 posted on 09/22/2009 4:27:58 PM PDT by libh8er
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To: Jet Jaguar

While this is a wildly optimistic take on things... I think he’s probably not far from right. It’s not hard to believe that in coming decades there will be an explosion of new capabilities in various bio-medical technologies. There already has been some pretty impressive stuff, and it should do nothing but accelerate.

Live forever... probably not. But lots of things that kill people and age them today probably won’t sometime not too far in the future.


25 posted on 09/22/2009 4:28:02 PM PDT by Ramius (Personally, I give us... one chance in three. More tea?)
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To: Jet Jaguar
The 84th president of the US will be overjoyed at the press pool!

Helen Thomas

26 posted on 09/22/2009 4:28:54 PM PDT by missnry (The truth will set you free ... and drive liberals Crazy!)
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To: fanfan

...plant a virus in the nanobots and drink it all up...


27 posted on 09/22/2009 4:29:45 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/__Since Jan 3, 2004__Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
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To: Las Vegas Dave; ShadowAce
Ray Kurzweil
Google
[hey, I thought he got killed off in the first X-Files movie]
28 posted on 09/22/2009 4:31:22 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/__Since Jan 3, 2004__Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
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To: catfish1957
Look at Helen Thomas.

No thanks. I ate.
29 posted on 09/22/2009 4:33:20 PM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: Jet Jaguar
Not so crazy an idea. If you accept that computers and robots will become fully capable of all that humans can do and then some, if you accept that they will become virtually human, then it's not so hard to imagine them being "immortal." And that's what counts for many IT pundits.

Human biology, though, is probably too messy for something like this, and too unreliable to bother trying. If you're young enough now, though, someday your boss or neighbor or spouse or "child" may be a machine and go on "living" for a very long time.

30 posted on 09/22/2009 4:33:46 PM PDT by x
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To: Jet Jaguar

I’ll pass.

I’m looking forward to Heaven.


31 posted on 09/22/2009 4:34:37 PM PDT by Retired Greyhound
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To: Jet Jaguar

Immortality didn’t used to appeal to me but I’m 22 now ... it only four or five years more to senility. I want to live at leat long enough to be able to buy an Anna Paquin “love android”.


32 posted on 09/22/2009 4:36:34 PM PDT by utherdoul
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To: Jet Jaguar

Doubt it. They might be able to keep unhealthy people alive another couple decades. But I wouldn’t expect any more than that.


33 posted on 09/22/2009 4:36:40 PM PDT by mamelukesabre (Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum (If you want peace prepare for war))
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To: utherdoul

How bout long enough to know where the “s” and “t” keys are on a standard querty board?


34 posted on 09/22/2009 4:37:51 PM PDT by mamelukesabre (Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum (If you want peace prepare for war))
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To: SunkenCiv

Day-O!


35 posted on 09/22/2009 4:39:28 PM PDT by fanfan (Why did they bury Barry's past?)
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To: Jet Jaguar

Aha. The real reason to kill off whoever ‘they’ can now.


36 posted on 09/22/2009 4:39:58 PM PDT by combat_boots (The Lion of Judah cometh. Hallelujah. Gloria Patri, Filio et Spirito Sancto.)
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To: missnry

LOL!


37 posted on 09/22/2009 4:41:08 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar (A mob of one.)
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To: Jet Jaguar
"In the Nevada desert, an experiment has gone horibly wrong. A cloud of nanoparticles- microrobots- has escaped from the labratory. This cloud is sulf-sustaining and self-reproducing. It is intelligent and learns from experience. For all practical purposes, it is alive. It has been programmed as a predator. It is evolving swiftly, becoming more deadly with each passing hour. Every attempt to destroy it has failed. And we are the prey."

-- 'Prey' by Micheal Cricthon

38 posted on 09/22/2009 4:41:56 PM PDT by BigFinn (Isa 32:8 But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand.)
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To: Jet Jaguar

Notice all the Seventy is the new fifty and we’re going to live thirty years longer bullshite lately?

Do you get the feeling the Dims are about to tell us that retirement age is going to be 75?


39 posted on 09/22/2009 4:42:01 PM PDT by jessduntno (Tell Obama to STFU - Stop The Federal Usurpation.)
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To: Jet Jaguar

40 posted on 09/22/2009 4:43:39 PM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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