Science is rapidly extending human lifespan, but will it increase your own life expectancy?
Johnty Andersen wrote a very interesting answer to this question Will we see radically extended human lifespan within our lifetime and what tech is most likely to lead to this?
I personally have a hard time arguing against his reasoning. Progress is advancing at such a pace that at least some of the scientific fields must evolve dramatically during the next couple of decades.
Let me know what you think? Will we all reach at least 150 years?
We may get to 70 being the average life expectancy in most part of the world. 150 years is stretching it a lil bit :).
At least in our lifetime.
For the foreseeable future yes, but in the long run I actually disagree. I believe science will take us places we cannot even imagine and age will be disrupted just as most other part of our lifes.
I'd love to be wrong though. Who wouldn't want to hang around here a bit longer? :)
I don't think it will happen in third-world countries before a while though... Rich people living for hundreads of years and poor people living about 50~70 years would be weird if not immoral... (sounds a bit like vampires to me haha) I'm not really hyped for this
Yes that scenario would be aweful, but unfortunately possible! It all depends on how expensive life extension will be. Some of the methods might not cost much though while others like medicin, robots and nano implants might cost a fortune.
I really dread if we continue down the path of greater inequality!
Thank you for your interesting comment
ronni
Maybe not for us, but maybe for your children... or your grandchildren... you might see a 150-year lifespan. I don't think any of the cures and therapies will be readily retrofitted, but if applied to someone at let's say age 5, it could prolong the rest of their life.
It is a race against time - Science vs. aging :)
If progress keeps on its exponential track record, then 150 years might come sooner than one thinks. If on the other hand progress cannot keep up its current speed or we hit roadblocks (ex. physiological constraints) then we might have to settle for our current 70ish years of conscience.
I've believed for a few years that the first millenarians walks among us... I know 'cause I'm one of them.
I really hope you are right anamnesia! Hope to celebrate it with you in a thousand years ;)
I think it is not about what we will reach but rather it is about what we made and make. good people like you can stay1000 in our minds.
Tue, but I would not mind staying mentally young and contributing positively for 500 years :)
Might be possible, but then we would have some huge problems with overpopulation...
I don't believe that will amount to a very big problem. People will have fewer kids when they have more time and wealth on their hands. Besides, we might go to the moon/mars soon anyway.
There is plenty of room in the sky and on/in the oceans and great innovations might make those places inhabitable...
The moon/mars will probably be only for the super rich I think
Let us hope not, but yes we need to do something to avoid that scenario because it is a very realistic possibility.
I don't think so, we are not so advanced.
Not yet! We are innovating on a rather fast pace though. We will not reach immortality tomorrow, but I certainly believe we can add a couple of decades to our lifespans within a relatively short time.
I don't think it will happen!!
Why?