Scientists shed new light on aging process

Reuters ^ | Thu Jun 30, 2005 | Tan Ee Lyn

[Pharmboy]

This is what these poor souls with progeria look like. At least they will contribute to furthering medical science's understanding of the aging process.

[Thebaddog]

Life is the ultimate poem, IMO. How could you ever change the ending?

[Pharmboy]

What you raise is a most valid point.

However, it is more in the realm of philosophy; I posted this for the interesting science it raises. Philosophy, religion and morality will be called upon more and more as scientific advances continue in biomedicine...

[Lance Romance]

E.T. Phone Home.

[Pharmboy]

Those kids really do remind us of the Roswell-looking aliens, don't they?

[RightWhale]

This is not comedy.

[TexasTransplant]

One more reason to embarass my kids with a hug (in front of their friends).

Can't seem to hug them long enough these days.

Getting old sucks, then again, the alternative isn't much better.

TT

[RightWhale]

The thing that gets me about this article is that they are talking about cancer cures, which is admirable, but not about eternal youth, which also seems possible if they are correct about this.

[marktwain]

Life is the ultimate poem, IMO. How could you ever change the ending?

If you are talking about how people live and die, then we have changed the poem enormously already. Increasing life span by a few more hundred years will only make the poem longer and richer.

Everybody dies, even if only by accident, after thousands of years.

[marktwain]

The thing that gets me about this article is that they are talking about cancer cures, which is admirable, but not about eternal youth, which also seems possible if they are correct about this.

Cancer cures are just another form of life extension.

As for eternal youth...yes, but only until you die. This is not immortality.

[TexasTransplant]

Read a book about Eternal Youth, the Book is more than 2000 years old.

I believe it is currently banned in the US though.

[Dark Wing]

fyi

[joshhiggins]

I wonder if they have determined if Lamin A decreases or changes with age? If it does they may be really on to something. If not they just identified a specific disease process for a rare disorder. I would think they would be rushing to answer this question, rather than looking at cancer.

[NicknamedBob]

"I would think they would be rushing to answer this question, rather than looking at cancer."

You can get funding for cancer research.

[RightWhale]

They say we would live on the average 600 years even without disease and aging. This would be the effect of accidents. Accidents would include war, murder and suicide I assume. Would this change society?

[NicknamedBob]

Currently, we take steps to reduce our risk to heart disease factors, and to carcinogens.

I would predict that most sensible types would tend to be less risk-tolerant.

There would still be those thrill-seekers who would deliberately go hang gliding, bungee jumping, and other risky pursuits -- "to live like they were dying..."

Over time, the genes that promote this activity -- those that reward the brain with an adrenaline rush -- would tend to be selected out, assuming that our child-bearing years are extended also.

It would take a loooong time, but that would change us.

[RightWhale]

Seems like we might reconsider the legal age of childhood. Perhaps bump it up to 71.

[neverdem]

bump for later

[myprecious]

Would this change society?

Just about the time Social Security gets fixed, we will be able to live to 150 and screw it up again.

[RightWhale]

Is anybody ready for a working life of 600 years? Retirement at 650, or 620 for early retirement. Except cops and military, they can still retire at 40 and buy a Winnebago so they can mooch off the relatives across the country for 720 years, on average.