Reversing aging: a dangerous utopia or the reality of the near future
The search for a longer life could turn into a “catastrophe” for our planet; attempts to increase life expectancy will put too much pressure on resources – and could lead to the extinction of humanity, the expert says. The hunt for “eternal life” could lead to more people competing for the Earth's precious resources.
For centuries, eternal life has been a common desire of women and men around the world, writes the Daily Mail. Even today, tech moguls like Jeff Bezos and Sam Altman are investing in startups that aim to reverse aging by making changes to animal cells. While it sounds like a wonderful new era of carefree living, one expert has expressed doubt that it is even a good idea. Dr Stephen Cave, a philosopher at the University of Cambridge, warns that increasing human life expectancy would be “absolutely catastrophic”. ;
Attempts to radically increase life expectancy would put too much pressure on the Earth's resources, argues Dr Cave, and could mean humanity goes extinct sooner.
Dr Cave and the American philosopher John Martin Fisher are the authors of a new book called Worth Should you choose to live forever?”, which discusses whether “it is reasonable for us to desire immortality.”
“Never before in human history has so much money and talent been poured into trying to solve the problem of aging,” Dr. Cave told the Times. – If you believe the planet has already reached its carrying capacity for humans, or may have exceeded it – if you look at the destruction of biodiversity, habitat loss, climate change and so on – “It's clear that this could be absolutely catastrophic.” Technological progress has already doubled in the last 300 years or so, from 40 to 80 years, so perhaps it could double again, the scientist said .
Dr Cave also believes that it is possible that technology to extend human life will be so expensive that only the very rich will be able to afford it, leading to a “horror scenario” where money becomes the difference between life and death.
The expert heads the new Cambridge Institute of Technology and Humanism, which aims to study how technological progress, including attempts to increase life expectancy, will affect society.
“I'm not saying we shouldn't be working on life extension technologies (or other technologies), we're just not ready for them at the moment,” he told MailOnline. – We must invest as much in thinking through the implications and ensuring that this transformation is successful as we do in the technology itself.”
This ancient question is more relevant than ever, as billions of dollars are currently being invested in anti-aging research, writes the Daily Mail. For example, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has invested in a company called Altos Labs, which wants to develop technology that can reverse the human aging process.
Atlos Labs has raised at least $270 million to study the potential of cell reprogramming to turn back time in animals, including humans. The firm is headquartered in California but also has offices at the Cambridge Institute of Science in the UK, which opened last July. Bezos has also invested in Unity Biotechnology in California, which develops drugs which are said to clear the body of aging, dying cells.
Meanwhile, OpenAI founder Sam Altman this year invested $180 million in Retro Biosciences, which aims to increase the lifespan of a healthy person by 10 years.
Some experts believe humans could become immortal around the turn of the next decade, although this could be considered wishful thinking. Former Google engineer Ray Kurzweil has said that humans will achieve immortality in just eight years thanks to technologies that can cure diseases. According to Kurzweil, tiny nanorobots – small robots that can penetrate the human body – will be able to repair damaged cells and tissues that are destroyed as the body ages, and make us immune to cancer and other diseases.
Earlier this year, scientists from Harvard said that human life expectancy can be increased with the help of anti-aging agent for five years. Their experimental therapy rejuvenated the cells of mice, helping them live longer while reducing frailty and promoting heart and lung health.
It is hoped that the findings will lead to people being treated in the same way, improving their health. resistance to disease, making them biologically younger, notes the Daily Mail.
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