tony_2003

Read this on the beeb.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4003063.stm

Intresting if it's possible. The question is would you want to live to 1000?
I would, but I think it's all bollocks.

rincewind

So do they have a solution for over population too??

Franklin

The (bio)technology is "there", just not working in humans yet. There is a bug once called Radiococcus durans, studied it during my undergraduate science degree. This microbe ("bug") has a DNA repair mechanism that is quite astonishing. It can withstand huge amounts of radiation (including gamma) so long as the rate of damage does not exceed the rate of DNA repair this bug can withstand any amount of radiation. It once routinely survived food irradiation.

If we take that DNA repair mechanism and incorporate into our DNA we would have "man plus"; able to live for a very long time and also able to work in space without radiation protection. Also, could work on nuke subs without any worries about dying from radiation exposure. Could hack it with your average Nuke mad Iranian politician. "Dirty bombs" be dammed, "man plus" would laugh them up. Godzilla watch out for "man plus".

Seriously, the biotech is there. Just got to use it. No ozone layer? No worries for "man plus", we could put the same technology into plants and animals that inhabit the polar cap areas, and blow me to Mars, those transgenic animals and plants will laugh it up.

Biotechnology ... it will enable us to live in very inhospitable places and on very rough planets. Galaxy Quest here we come ... forget "I Robot" ... or the Million Dollar Man ... "we have the technology" and it has nothing to do with the Million Dollar Electronic Weakling ... "man plus". Man-plus technology will render stem cell research moot, it will become yet another dead-end redundant scientific cul-de-sac.

Problem is "man plus" will wipe out ordinary man. It will be like this: You are either with us and become us or you are dead dead; meaning, your line will terminate, your genes will become obsolete ... oh boy will we try to rebuild those Towers of Babylon. Maybe God will make an appearance. "Man plus" would be very close to reaching God-hood. Immortality belongs to God not mankind, so if we become God-like maybe God will make an appearance to put a stop to it. Mormons believe good people become Gods in their own right, I just wonder if they factored in Radiococcus durans and didn't tell anybody.

Franklin

What man has always done when things get crowded - find a new continent ... the planets are within our reach if we become "man plus". With nuclear energy, SCP (single cell protein) bioreactors, artificial self-sustaining eco-systems (NASA was working on this technology), man-plus could go anywhere anyhow anytime. Just takes money and that is in the hands of big government.

We need to get into space and colonize the moon, Mars, Europa and out towards other stars. We have conquered earth; the solar system and space await us. I give you (not Robocop), but "Man Plus". Able to live for ever in radiation infested areas. "The HULK" be dammed. Man-plus ... sounds like another book I will not write. Oh dear, I must find a roundtuit. Anyone got one for sale?

Seriously, mankind has the capacity to overcome just about any obstacle, it cracks me up that we are preoccuppied about the ozone layer and global warming (which happens anyway, it is cyclical and happened over and over and over again before man even existed). Yeah sure these are concerns, but they are no threat to mankind. Once we start to alter our own DNA makeup we will be changed forever. Man plus. The genie is almost out of the bag. Man plus.

We need to be off-planet ... BladeRunner style. Natural world wide disasters can overtake us, ask the dinosaurs. Just takes a big rock to hit our planet. We need to spread our seed to other chunks of rock and out into deep space. Then the earth can blow up and mankind (or mankind-plus) will still be around, MIB style.

ScousePete

1000 - are you mad??!!

Imagine how much you would have to have in your 401K :scared: Social security would really be in the shitter - or would you have us work for that long?

Presidents would be in office for 100 years at a pop

"I've only had my job for 426 years - I'm still learning"

DaveC

Hmm, it would take me at least 1000 years to grow as impressive a beard as that fellow.

Anyone else read the Sandman graphic novels (all right, comics!)? There's a recurring character in there who refuses to die and lives from Shakespeare's time 'til the present day. He encounters some pitfalls of living for so long.

torpkevuk

ppl who are in jail on a "life means life" sentence would be well screwed

rincewind

My all time favorites

Wasn't that the guy that tried to capture death so he could live forever but instead captured the Sandman?? I had two graphic novels, one was where he was captured by a guy trying to live for ever. And the second was after he was released and some demons had escaped and had become seriel killers (a dude with metal teeth for eyes).

I love those comics.

NC Penguin

My question is:

Why would someone want to live to 1000? What would be the purpose/reasons for doing so?

What is there to gain for the individual who'd live that long?

I'd much prefer if that scientist investigated how to prolong life as it is now. e.g. cure for AIDS, Alzheimer's, any kind of cancer, ezcema...

Look at countries where there's an imbalance between the working population and the elderly. Their economies are running into difficulties already and the UK and US are starting to encounter those same problems.





NC Penguin

rincewind

I'd want to see my daughter grow up and see my family grow too.
I'd want to see how far the human race progresses beyond the years I would normally have lived to.
I'd want to see if countries can finally work together without use of force.
I'd want to see the poles change.
I want to fly in space at least once.

But then, I did eat a lot of beef in the 80's so CJD will probably kick me in the butt another 10 years from now

But Mother Nature has a great way of adapting. Something will mutate to compensate for the extended years in humans. Stronger viruses, etc. We have not yet evolved naturally to live beyond our set years. Manipulating it will cause a reaction to compensate.

NC Penguin

You don't have to live to 1000 to see that. Even, living to 80 will fulfill that wish.

Progress, eh? I'm not interested in sticking around for that

I think that'd take more than 1000 years. Just look at British history. Doesn't bode well, does it?

I'd much rather mankind fixed existing terrestrial travel first. e.g. air travel, motor vehicles, public transport...

<<snip>>

I'll probably get flamed for the following comment (I know who you are!) but when man (kind) messes about with nature, I believe nature will win (eventually)! Call it penguin intuition if you will.




NC Penguin

tony_2003

Reasons for living that long. To reiterate some of them. To see advancements and discoveries that I'd otherwise miss...that's probably the biggest one for me. Spend longer time with my familly members...watch Hearts finally win the SPL/Champions League (yeah probably need over 1000 yrs for that).

With such a large time extension you can learn pretty much whatever you wish...think of Groundhog Day.