[The Good Hunter]

P I N G !!!

[aruanan]

Someone, a long time ago, wrote something very complex and beautiful in genetic letters.

Heh, heh, heh.

[weikel]

When they find a way to stop telomere decay then we'll talk. I don't want to live forevere and its impossible even if you can stop aging eventually you will be killed.

[Redcloak]

This will play havoc with Social Security.

[SamAdams76]

If I could live forever, I could read every single thread that ever appeared on Free Republic. Even the "What Is Your Favorite Acid Rock Song" threads.

[Junior]

A bit like Heinlein's Methuselah's Children...

[VermiciousKnid]

Robert A. Heinlein, call your office!

Regards,

[strela]

Who wants to live forever?

No way, not me. Imagine seeing everyone you ever loved grow old and die while you always stayed the same age. I would imagine that a true methuselah would have severe mental problems (schizophrenia, depression) by the time he or she reached 150 or so, just from the continuous ongoing change and repeated losses of friends and family. I'd hate to spend eternity in a rubber room or prison.

Give me my threescore and ten, then give me my bunk at the Dirtnap Arms.

[CyberAnt]

Well ... I hate to break it to ya, but everyone will live forever ...

The real question should be - where do I want to spend eternity???

[VOYAGER]

The namesake for the gene was, of course, the Biblical Methuselah.

A descendant of Adam and Eves son Seth, he is said to have lived for over nine hundred years.

These days, people don't live nearly as long.

How about Methuselah"s son Enoch the seventh from Adam who did not die.

The scriptures state that he walked with God and God was pleased with him and He translated(took) him, which is more than the scriptures say about anybody else leaving this life without the death of the body preceding the event.

[Darth Sidious]

Life is a journey. Including what comes after this mortal coil finally fails. I would not want to be cheated of an existence unencumbered by mere flesh.

Besides, immortality would rob me of how I've instructed my family to dispose of my earthly remains: by being cremated while wearing a Darth Vader costume :-)