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https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/10/25/1061644/how-to-be-young-again/
Age-Reversal Technology- An Impending Fountain of Youth?
It’s no secret that billionaires are investing into life-extension technologies. Companies like Altos who focus on life-extension are funded with billions in seed money to develop life-extension technologies, and they aggressively recruit and reward scientists to join them. Tech CEOs including Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg are actively creating foundations and investing into development of anti-aging technology that could impact our lifespans and quality of life.
Anti-aging technology comes in many forms. Cell-rejuvenation using stem cells and amino acids and reprogramming of cells are commonly researched. It has been demonstrated that skin cells from older humans can be rejuvenated to a younger biological age using stem cells and other chemicals. The refinement of these processes could lead to life extension, and this is attracting funds from billionaires. As we age, our cells lose regenerative function, and the aim of life-extension is to enable cells to regenerate for much longer, thus extending life.
A promising life-extension/rejuvenation technology is the Yamanaka Factor Method in which cells are transformed into stem cells which can foster rejuvenation of co-located cells. The stem cells created after cells are modified with amino acids are injected into the target organism, which is monitored. Companies are focusing on both life-extension and curing disease to impact the quality of life one may experience. What good is living for hundreds of years with an extensive list of chronic illnesses? This becomes a reality as the lifespan of an organism is extended, and the reality is that both life-extension and disease cures must be developed in tandem.
Since ancient times, alchemists have pursued immortality. Cell-regeneration technology is a modern iteration of these ancient aims. Stem cells are immature cells that can become other cells in the body and have been pursued as an anti-aging solution for some time. The key is to produce these cells from the host organism’s cells using the Yamanaka Factor Method (or a similar process) and then properly infuse the host with them. The consequence of improper stem-cell administration was observed in the laboratory as tumors and cancer. In essence, anti-aging technology can be very dangerous if improperly implemented and there are opportunities for other companies to develop monitoring and dosing technology as well. Anti-aging could become a major arm of the current healthcare system, and those who decide to enter the space must trial their technology to avoid harm.
Amazingly, it has been estimated that curing cancer would add only 3-years to the average lifespan. Life-extension using regenerative means is being fervently pursued, and Altos is a good example of a company that is being making strides in the field. Extension of human life and immortality will always be subject areas humans are fascinated with, and as the technology matures we may see hundreds of extra years of life. Some questions that trouble me about expanded life-spans are inequality and the hoarding of these technologies by the wealthy. If we extend life to 200-years, will be have slums for billions of people and castle-fortresses for the ultra-wealthy. How will Earth’s resources be impacted as our population increases?
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