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Geneticists discover way to extend lifespans to 800 years

  2. regina
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"Scientists at the University of Southern California have extended the lifespan of yeast bacteria tenfold -- and the recipe they used to do it might easily translate into humans. It involves tinkering with two genes, and cutting down your calorie intake. Tests have already started on people in Ecuador."


Interesting research.

But does anyone else find it odd that Ecuadorians are apparently one step up from bacteria in terms of subjects for science projects?
regina

16 responses // Geneticists discover way to extend lifespans to 800 years

  • yeah but who wants to live that long if you have to be on a crazy diet the whole time?
    m_squared
  • kkkkkKALE POWER!!!!
    regina
  • crazy diet? I didn't see anything about that in this report. All that was mentioned was tinkering with genes and NOT eating like a pig (cutting down calories).
    Maybe they picked Ecuadorians because they don't have so much processed and junk foods in their everyday diets?
    barkway
  • This freaks me out.
    drymama
  • http://www.alexgitlin.com/npp/methuselah.jpg
    more ammunition for the young earth creationists, as the secret to Methuselah's 900 years is revealed!!!
    jogglef
  • barkway... i was being sarcastic. they picked a certain group of ecuadorians because this group had "mutations analogous to those described in yeast."
    m_squared
  • If we are given the right to live 800 years, I also want the right to die. If I get Alzheimer's at 80 and live another 720 years forgetting who everyone is, I would rather be dead.
    uroborus8
  • I am Ecuadorian and USA'n. I think they picked Ecuador because we have a very large proprotion of Centegenarians.

    My grandmother died in 2005 and she was the ripe old age of 101. She looked like she wasn't a day over 80 when she passed.

    There is another place in Russia that has an unusually high percentage of Centegenarians as well.
    jubal
  • ahhh...glad there is a good reason, thx for sharing.
    regina
  • That's right, jubal - in Caucasus and surrounding republics. Their secret to longevity seems to be kefir made of mare's milk.
    Vierotchka
  • m_squared:
    "mutations analogous to those described in yeast?"

    excuse me.....but GROSS!
    barkway
  • I just bought some Kefir (strawberry juice added) at Trader Joe's yesterday. I was hoping it would help me.
    It's almost a "double-edge" sword. The living a long time thing. I have always hoped that I would die in my 80's. Now I am in my 40's and I am thinking, "Shit, only twenty more years to get everything done!"
    However, I don't want someone wiping my ass. If I can't then it is time to put me down. That is, of course, if it's a permanent condition. If it is just because I broke my arm, I would say let me live a little longer.
    Finally, "uroborus8" had a good point. If this should become possible in the future than a person must have the right to terminate their own life in their elder years. What will be their "Elder" years....hmmmmm
    : )
    theprimtv1
  • holy crap this is insane. What will 800 years do to the human mind, not to mention, the uncontrollable population growth?
    eriniscool
  • How far into the 800 years could you still "do it"??
    ConditionedGoods
  • With regard to population growth, your child bearing years are over by the time you reach 60 for the most part. Also statistically when people are well educated and live in industrialized nations they tend to not have as many children as do people from emerging third world countries who are not industrialized. Birth rates tend to decrease the more prosperous a nation becomes.

    Living for thousands of years would be even better than 800 years simply because 800 years is not time enough to love.

    I also agree that we should have the right to end our own lives with the best that science has to offer when and where we choose to. I am sick of "big brother" telling me how to live my life or how to die.
    jubal
  • Yes love is infinite, agreeable anyone would say. (As long as you can still "do it") And and as it would be smarter to not produce so many offspring as our forefathers there is still the remaining possibility of facts;
    1. Not everyone is educated
    2. Since people will live longer, they will create more to spread the family name and have company in their existence, a high reason for family in the first place.
    3. Statistically speaking, even if those families were limited to one per person, life span and medical advances, and who knows what else by the time this is in full effect, will completely out balance the normalcy of a healthy regular growth rate that our planet can handle
    4. Or, we could have genius brains by then solving all these problems
    5. Or, we could no even exist to see it.
    6. P.s. Everyone has the choice to die.
    eriniscool

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