?
The maximum human life span is currently about 125 years, scientists think. Most people fall far short of that because of poor diet, self-destructive habits, disease, or organ failure. But advances in medicine have already extended the average human life span in the U.S. and other modern nations from 46 in 1900 to 78 today, and science is now making steady progress toward solving the problem of aging itself. ?{{more}}?Is immortality or significantly longer lives (150-200 years) possible? ?Consider the following:
- In 1998 a tiny jellyfish, called Turritopsis dohrnii, was discovered that appeared to grow younger and younger until it was transformed back to a polyp, its earliest stage of life. At that point, the jellyfish would begin its life cycle again. ?“Once we determine how the jellyfish rejuvenates itself, we should achieve very great things,” says marine biologist Shin Kubota. “My opinion is that we will evolve and become immortal ourselves.”
- As the science of stem cells and organ building progresses, it may become possible to use a 3D printer to print out new organs on demand. Researchers have already managed to print out a fully beating, three-dimensional mouse heart.
- In July, Japanese scientists announced that they had grown the world’s first functioning miniature livers from human skin cells.
- Russian multimillionaire Dmitry Itskov thinks immortality is possible. He’s pumped millions into his “2045 Initiative,” vowing to cure death within the next three decades.
- Google’s director of engineering, Ray Kurzweil, predicts that humans will simply merge with computers, uploading our consciousness and memories and becoming immortal superbeings.
?All this begs the question, do we really want to live forever??The information for this article came from The Week at http://theweek.com?and for more on this article Read more
??
