Life extension has been an immortal quest throughout human existence. It is a far-reaching target to overcome death and transcend unto immortality. Eternal youth isn’t only a quest, but it is also a belief shared by Holy Scriptures. After death comes eternal life. All religions share this belief of immortality.
Over years, the reference or quest for immortality has been given various connotations such as during the medieval ages, it was called the fountain of youth. The search for immortality is still very present in our contemporary society. We are lured towards living forever; our commitment is present in science but also in Hollywood movies like Indian Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) and the Highlanders (1986-2000). Even more modern theories of immortality are emerging with technology and trans-humanism (Cyborgs), an example is seen in the virtual ability to live in a recent film by Bruce Wills entitled Surrogate (2010).
Nevertheless, films are like myths and only imaginations. The most compelling field to realise immortality is science. Modern science has already been able to track the process of aging and might soon unravel the mysteries behind it.
The possibility of curing aging has led to an unfolding amount of social and ethical debates. The very fact that anti-aging therapies will not only change our mode of living it will even change the social fabric of our society, is triggering opposing views from the public. Prolonging lifespan and thereafter reaching maximum lifespan will have radical political and social ramifications.
According to scientists, slowing the aging process is highly feasible. The scientific developments that are emerging will likely help humans to surpass the longest human life span ever observed; ‘French woman living to the age of 122 years’. One current strategy is to focus on ‘telomerase’, which limits the cell’s ability to divide as telomeres get shorter each time a cell split. There is also a dozen of other prolonging life treatments in progress like ‘Caloric restriction’ which has shown results of increasing ‘lifespan for mice’ by roughly 30 percent.
Another fascinating research is the ‘Human Genome Project’ which could likely shed light on pharmaceutical solutions to alleviate aging-diseases and consequently, to slow aging. In respect to various ‘progresses in medical science, the aging process’ can be referred to as being a disease which can be cured.
Some scientists believe in the possible outcome of immortality (transhumanists). This is why increasingly finance is being injected into longevity research. It is a quest worth pursuing. ‘Aubrey de Grey’ believes that immortality is closer than we predict. However, S Jay ‘Olshansky, PhD, from University of Illinois at Chicago, ‘doubts in radical life extension’ but believes that gradual increase in average human lifespan can be achieved.
There are currently no approved mathematical models, which can project the theoretical human maximum lifespan. However, models are suggesting that it is possible to surpass the current limit of 122 years but there might be a limit to the human biology to carry on. For medicine and science to solve aging, human genetic modification will be required but the extent is still unclear and thus awkward for society.
Besides, in the past century medical advancement has decreased childhood mortality and ‘increased overall life expectancy’. It is fundamental that our bodies are made in such a way that they can adapt in the environment while pushing towards longevity. Improved sanitation, medicine and food supplies have increased life expectancy by almost 100 percent from the 1990s to 2000. There are already signs of hurdles derived through prolonged longevity such as the exploding national healthcare budget in America. There will be several political and social ramifications of prolonging human lifespan.
New Models To Predict Longevity
There are claims that earlier models used to forecast life-expectancy can no longer be used. Now progress in biomedical science might be the most promising determinant of longevity, quality of life and body health. The aim is to compress morbidity, so that people can live longer and healthier before they die. The aim isn’t to have an old and feeble population but rather individuals’ in their 80s who are highly active and vigilant until their death.
The concrete aim towards immortality is not primarily to live forever rather to slow the aging process. Our ‘chronically age should not affect our biological aging process’. Then we can age chronically (years) while still having a young body. There are already suggestions that human’s average lifespan will hit 112 years.
What is needed to sustain our biological aging mechanisms is anti-aging therapies that can maintain our metabolic while repairing damages occurring inside the body. If such revolutions are reaped then ‘Aubrey de Grey’s prediction of living to a thousand years’ might become an achievable legend.
Scientists Are Giving Opinions But What About Ordinary People?
The debates that have been echoing throughout conferences on life extension are merely only for scientists. The opinions of ordinary people haven’t yet been discussed. There hasn’t been a widespread effort to delve into the voice of the general public. Aubrey de Grey, a bio-gerontologist at the University of Cambridge, UK has had some public debates both with scientists and ordinary people to avoid misperception of anti-aging research.
Several commentators (general public) displayed a sense of fear towards life extension technology while others proclaimed that ‘people aren’t interested in living forever’. De Grey pinpointed that paradoxically people do have a great interest in cosmetic and other aging interventions, so slowing aging in the form of appearance is a common goal. Nevertheless, there are no statistical data projecting the number of people pertaining to these two perspectives towards aging (mentioned above). There is a lack of empirical research on general public opinion.
It is amazing that the interest of the public has elapsed. If the public would have full awareness than biomedical research could have a steadier direction both in terms of fundraising and support. Over years, people are becoming increasingly engaged in new technology. The views on quality of life related to disabling old people will certainly become a question of technologic advancement. People prefer to stay healthy and healthiness is a goal of longevity. Anti-aging research could thus progress even faster if the public was well aware and engaged in longevity study.
There is a belief that the motivation towards life extension might be associated to one’s health status. According to ‘Winter and Colleagues’, people who are weaker are more willing to prolong their life in comparison to those who are healthy. This potential theory demonstrates that people tend to change opinion towards life extension as their health worsens.
One of the most crucial players in creating awareness is the media. The media can both positively and negatively influence the perception towards life-extension. Nonetheless, it is significant to nurture a balance discussion on longevity. Some journals and newspapers are already publishing progress on human genome and molecular bioscience, which can lead to immortality.
Amidst the few research conducted on public attitudes towards life extension, there is one large public survey. A telephone survey was conducted by the International Longevity Center (New York, NY, USA). Interestingly, the belief in anti-aging medicine was extremely low. There were a few who had heard about it and only 2 percent had tried anti-aging medicines or therapies.
It is indeed intriguing to note that as the post-world-war II baby-boomers are coming closer to their pension-age, there is a rising demand of anti-aging products. This might have a close association with a desire for longer life. Currently research in youth and health products is getting public attention. In other words, for the affluent population there is a high demand for anti-aging products.
Currently, in the USA as per figures in 2003, there was a total of 2,500 physicians specialized in longevity medicine targeting elders. Moreover, access of anti-aging medicine is becoming more prevalent on the internet as well. There are several companies that are promoting a series of different anti-aging products. The hitch is that most of these products do not have any scientific evidence of actually reversing aging. On the contrary, most of these products that customers are buying are rather for aging and not against aging. It is necessary to take extra precautions before buying anti-aging medicine. They should be bought from recognised and responsible companies.
If we want to live forever, according to the optimistic scientists, we are already in the realm of longer lives. Trends are showing that longevity is prolonging and most people seem happy about it. Undeniably, there are problems associated with longer lifespan being ‘overpopulation’, changes to social fabric and opposing viewpoints (theological opposition). In future empirical research (surveys), public opinion should become a priority to further support and direct life-extension research.
The current problem is that we do not yet know how motivated the general public is in encouraging life-extension.
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Download EMBO report in PDF format: Who wants to live forever?
Fri, Sep 3, 2010
Anti Aging Theories, Immortality, Longevity