As Japan Ages & Shrinks -- Live to 500yrs

[Taro Toporific]

Report: Japan's Future Growth Threatened Associated Press Writer October 23, 2003, 9:21 PM EDT TOKYO -- Already mired in its worst economic slump in decades, Japan may well see its growth decline even further as its citizens age and its population shrinks, the government said in an annual economic assessment released Friday. "Japan is experiencing aging unprecedented in History"...

'Humans could live for hundreds of years' Ananova: 24 Oct---Scientists say people could live active lives for hundreds of years if humans follow the same biological rules as laboratory worms.
By carefully tweaking genes and hormones, scientists extended the lifespan of the tiny roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans six times. In human terms, the worms stayed healthy and active for 500 years...
But many people might find the price of immortality a little high. The worms with the longest lifespans also had their reproductive systems removed.

[cstaylor]

Anyone here read Asimov's "Caves of Steel" series? Great take on longevity.

[GomiGirl]

I don't think I want to live until the age of 500..

[Nagged]

Got all the books from "I, Robot" to "Foundation & Earth". The Spacers vs. Settlers scenario was good reading.

Personally speaking, I wouldn't mind living a few centuries. Think of all the knowledge one could attain.

[jugle]

I'm not so keen on this whole uber person thingamabob.

I'm keen on 80 or so years, and then planet Earth and humankind undergoes a sort of 'purge'. Cause for every single genius out there, I figure there's a good dinghy full of idiots floatin' across my horizon.

And it's not negative. It's just Friday.

[cstaylor]

Asimov's point is that once you have such a long lifespan, people don't take risks and possibly jeopardize their health.

[Big Booger]

I think this will certainly help in space travel and history preservation.. I think we NEED to live longer to explore space.. As it will take a long time just to travel outside of our galaxy..

I think living a longer life will be natural. RIght now it seems unbelievable. Hell 200 years ago, living past 25-30 was abnormal.

I'd love to life for 500 years or even forever providing I didn't get a disease and was competent.

Imagine living from 1500-2000.. all that history you could have lived through. Imagine how far humans could go if people like Eistein, Steven Hawking, etc.. lived for 500 years

Pity I will never see this happen, though I am considering being cryogenically frozen in case there were a way to reconsitute life from a dead organism in the future.

[Kanchou]

I think this will certainly help in space travel and history preservation.. I think we NEED to live longer to explore space.. As it will take a long time just to travel outside of our galaxy..

Hmm... That seems a whole lot like "Crest of the Stars." Heheh...


I think this life-span theory is very intesting... Although I don't know whether or not something that works on a worm could work on a human...

Hmm... No testes vs 500-year life... I'd go for the life. You can always "save up" the reproductive stuff for later.

[Nagged]

Asimov's point is that once you have such a long lifespan, people don't take risks and possibly jeopardize their health.

True. But I think that taking risks is part of human nature. I still think that even with such long life spans, we would still dare ourselves to take risks from false pride, although this would likely decrease with age.

I find myself being more careful recently, based only on the fact that I now have more than ever to live for, and I want to enjoy the rewards of working hard for so many years.

However, when I think of how insignificant my life is compared to the greater mass of humanity, I might find myself willing to take my chances if it meant that I could do something to benefit all of mankind.

I know it's only science fiction, but let's not forget that Gladia turned her back on her Spacer heritage and risked the remainder of her long life to marry the settler Daneel Giskard Baley.

Asimov also knew the meaning of love.