To plan to extend life, we need to understand the mechanisms by which ageing occurs. In popular media, genetics features highly as a probable cause of ageing. But some authors disagree. These authors propose that disease features prominently in the mechanisms of ageing and death.
Certainly on a historical basis, humanity’s success in controlling disease is responsible for most of our advances in Life Extension.
The availability of clean water, (with the control of typhoid), has saved millions of lives in the last century. The process of adding stabilised chlorine to water and reticulating this water is the key technological development. This process has only been in widespread use for less than 150 years.
The use of antibiotics as an antibacterial control measure has issued many people a “Get Out Of Jail” card from the depredations of disease.
In the new era of our current century, a number of life extension mechanisms have been proposed. These include:
- calorie restriction,
- herbal medicines and antioxidants,
- medications for telomere elongation,
- control of senescence checkpoints (genetic throttles to cell replication),
- replacement of critical organs through the process of stem cell cloning and organ printing, and
- Genetic modification.
Most people of our era can look forward to living in excellent health, and the absence of chronic illness for at least 70 years.
Doctor at Clinic
Our examples of Life Extension from Science Fiction include:
I think the most prominent is that of Erlin in Neil Archer’s novel, (The Spinner). This novel discusses methods of life extension big-time. Reifs are essentially like walking corpses on dialysis. There are the actions of the Spline (a virus on Spatterjay), that replaces the normal body’s tissues over successive rounds of injuries, but with a price. AI downloading as a method of immortality is mentioned, especially if the consciousness is harboured within a Golem (robot) body.
EE Doc Smith in his book “The Masters of Space”, proposes that the replacement of carbon atoms within the body with silicon atoms could create a near indestructible life form with substantial extension of life expectancies.
Unfortunately, I believe that the small increase in atomic radius of silicon compared to carbon, would make many organic constructs essentially unviable. Most molecular structures have incredibly fine tolerances even at the atomic radius level. Bond strength in molecules is also a critical determinant of many chemical processes.
The extra electron shells in the silicon cf the carbon atom, would totally alter many chemical processes. While it is possible that the replacement of carbon the silicon may create a more durable life form, I believe it is likely that there needs to be almost a total re-engineering of the molecular basis of this life. A total rebuild of enzymes, proteins and perhaps even up to DNA.
Energy matters as well. Having molecules in chemical structures with different binding energies can make many chemical reactions unviable.
..
The most obvious and most basic example of this in the carbon world is simply and very importantly the difficulty of breaking down glucopyranose structures in cellulose CF glucose. Although there are six carbon chains forming the basis of the cellulose monomers, the energy configuration is particularly low making it difficult to break down this chemical structure.
Tula
Vampires and zombies are an interesting proposal for life extension. While I would argue that being a zombie is not really a life extended, being a vampire does give access to life extended at a price. Intelligence is preserved, though with altered imperatives and drives.
I think another interesting proposal is that the computer intelligences as they evolved into AI’s may seek to become human. This is showcased in the book by Robert Heinlein “Time enough for Love” in which Minerva the ship computer downloads a cut down version of herself into a human body in process of seeking a life with her beloved.
Natural life extension has been talked about for a long time. Hanno in Poul Anderson’s “ Boat of a Million Years” and Milo Morai in Robert Adams’ Horse Clans Series showcases human beings living long and living strong “for natural reasons”.
I think there is another comment to be made. Vincent Freeman in the movie Gattaca shows a human who believes that they can transcend the limitations of their genes. We may be as our genes make us, but our choices define us as well. Although nature defines us, we really make ourselves.
Aspects of Brisbane that the concept of Life Extension suggests to me:
- Health retreats
- Retreats and resorts in Brisbane
Luxury escapes with fireplaces near Brisbane Include:
- Lakeside on the side of Lake Baroon (just outside Montville). Each tree house has a different name and personality, but if you can, choose ‘Secrets’. The walk along the hand-carved elevated walkway to get to your room and the fireplace that hangs from the ceiling make this place seem like a fairy-tale. Secretsonthelake.com.au
Lakeside Lake Baroon Scenic Rim 1
Lakeside Lake Baroon Scenic Rim 2
Lakeside Lake Baroon Scenic Rim 3
- Cabins at Glass on Glasshouse : They each have two walls that are completely glass (hence the name), giving you 180-degree views of Mt Beerwah and Mt Coonowrin.
www.candlewoodcabins.com
Cabins-at-Glass-in-Glasshouses-1
Cabins-at-Glass-in-Glasshouses-2
Cabin-retreats-Montville-Maleny
- Narrows Escape Rainforest Retreat: Montville Region: www.narrowescape.com.au
Narrows-Escape-Rainforest-Retreat-Montville-3
Narrows-Escape-Rainforest-Retreat-Montville-4
Narrows-Escape-Rainforest-Retreat-Montville
- Alure Boutique Villas:
www.alurestanthorpe.com.au
Alure-Boutique-Villas-1
Alure-Boutique-Villas-2
Alure-Boutique-Villas-3
- Spicers Peak Lodge (Maryvale):
Spicers-Peak-Lodge-1
Spicers-Peak-Lodge-2
Spicers-Peak-Lodge-3
- Gold Coast Hinterland: Nightfall Wilderness Camp :
The Safari-style tent has brushed hardwood floors, hand carved stone basins and, of course, a fireplace.
Nightfall-Wilderness-Camp-1
Nightfall-Wilderness-Camp-2
Nightfall-Wilderness-Camp-3
- The Mouses House Rainforest Retreat : There are 12 chalets – each one has a unique name like ‘Dopey’, ‘Sleepy’ and ‘Doc’ – but skip the dwarfs and grab a night in the ‘Wicked Witch’. It’s got a private hot tub that overlooks a rainforest stream.
Mouses-House-Rainforest-Retreat-1
Mouses-House-Rainforest-Retreat-2
- Binna Burra Lodge overlooking The Coomera and Numinbah Valleys
Binna-Burra-Lodge-1
Binna-Burra-Lodge-2
- Treehouse retreat: Pethers rainforest retreat: Mt Tamborine
Pethers-Treehouse-Escape-1
The Scenic Rim on the Gold Coast hinterland offers some truly unique and wonderful scenery. The geographical regions within this area include:
- Boona and Main Range
- Rathdowney and Mt Barney
- Canungra
- Lamington National Park
- Tamborine
- Beaudesert
Rainforest and a setting of solitude beckon. This region has many graded walking tracks leading to lush rainforests, hidden waterfalls, dramatic lookouts and some of the world's last remaining warm temperate rainforest and Antarctic beech (Nothofagus moorei ) cool temperate rainforest.
The Scenic Rim is also home to the largest tract of sub-tropical rainforest in the world and most of it has been protected with world-heritage listing. The remainder is often carefully preserved by private landholders-making unique accommodation sites available.
Some of the walking tracks around O'Reillys on Tamborine are true treasures. They are part of the Temperate Rainforest remaining on the plateau's national park. Walks include:
Tree Top Walk
Orchid Circuit Walk
Wishing Tree and Mick's Tower
Python Rock
Moran's Falls
West Cliffs (Pat's Bluff)
Moonlight Crag and Balancing Rock
Castle Crag
Picnic Rock and Elebana Falls
Lyrebird Lookout.
The area is immense. Plan carefully and don't get lost. Always prepare for a possible mishap. Remember, walking tracks in wet weather can be dangerous.
Dr AXxxxx: If you break a leg, its a really long hop back. If you break two legs though, you can crawl with a lot more safety.
Clever New Applications: for Life Extension
Measurement. The measurement of ageing is the single most important achievement in understanding ageing and learning to implement changes in the mechanisms of ageing. Someone who has had a lot of plastic surgery and looks young, is still biologically as old as they ever would have been. They just have the appearance of being young.
So it is the definition of endpoints which is critical.
- Suggestions include telomere length in different cell lines. (Many have considered telomere lengths in lymphoid cell lines, but telomere lengths in fibroblasts or even organ cell lines may well be relevant or important as well).
- Skin elasticity is another possible measurement. This may need to be defined at different skin depths. Natural elastin is damaged by sun exposure, tends to be more common in the reticular dermis in general and less common in the deeper dermis. However it is the ageing effects that need to be measured.
- Hormone levels may well be another surrogate measure. Unfortunately they are prone to significant manipulation through diet, exercise or other activities or supplements. Some authors such as the Paill authors have suggested what cell counts and platelet numbers may be significant.
- Cartilage thickness and quality may be important issue. However preservation of cartilage in different sites may depend on physical activity, so methods of quantitation will need to be defined.
- 3-D Printing. The ability to build three-dimensional scaffolds and to colonise these with cells are likely to form a significant application for long-term targeting of life extension. At the very least defective organs can be replaced and damaged tissues such as cartilage findings may well be able to be replaced for the first time.
- Immune functions: measurement. The human immune system is believed to function by clonal expansion rather than neo-antibody production after the age of about 50. Immune changes are likely to be highly significant and longevity.
Food Production. If people live longer there will be more of them to feed. I am drawn to a picture in a novel by Robert Heinlein: Time enough for Love. In this novel geriatric refugees escape from the Earth to the Moon. Due to the burgeoning human population on earth, the population has enacted compulsory senescence.
Property cannot be held by older people and must be passed on to the younger generations. People cannot be allowed to live beyond their allotted time – though I suppose this can be taxed. The Paill authors have suggested that the human population could easily reach 15 to 70 billion people with human life extension. Feeding these people becomes an important tool for life extension in itself.
To plan to extend life, we need to understand the mechanisms by which ageing occurs. In popular media, genetics features highly as a probable cause of ageing. But some authors disagree. These authors propose that disease features prominently in the mechanisms of ageing and death.
Certainly on a historical basis, humanity’s success in controlling disease is responsible for most of our advances in Life Extension.
The availability of clean water, (with the control of typhoid), has saved millions of lives in the last century. The process of adding stabilised chlorine to water and reticulating this water is the key technological development. This process has only been in widespread use for less than 150 years.
The use of antibiotics as an antibacterial control measure has issued many people a “Get Out Of Jail” card from the depredations of disease.
In the new era of our current century, a number of life extension mechanisms have been proposed. These include:
- calorie restriction,
- herbal medicines and antioxidants,
- medications for telomere elongation,
- control of senescence checkpoints (genetic throttles to cell replication),
- replacement of critical organs through the process of stem cell cloning and organ printing, and
- Genetic modification.
Most people of our era can look forward to living in excellent health, and the absence of chronic illness for at least 70 years.
Doctor at Clinic
Our examples of Life Extension from Science Fiction include:
I think the most prominent is that of Erlin in Neil Archer’s novel, (The Spinner). This novel discusses methods of life extension big-time. Reifs are essentially like walking corpses on dialysis. There are the actions of the Spline (a virus on Spatterjay), that replaces the normal body’s tissues over successive rounds of injuries, but with a price. AI downloading as a method of immortality is mentioned, especially if the consciousness is harboured within a Golem (robot) body.
EE Doc Smith in his book “The Masters of Space”, proposes that the replacement of carbon atoms within the body with silicon atoms could create a near indestructible life form with substantial extension of life expectancies.
Unfortunately, I believe that the small increase in atomic radius of silicon compared to carbon, would make many organic constructs essentially unviable. Most molecular structures have incredibly fine tolerances even at the atomic radius level. Bond strength in molecules is also a critical determinant of many chemical processes.
The extra electron shells in the silicon cf the carbon atom, would totally alter many chemical processes. While it is possible that the replacement of carbon the silicon may create a more durable life form, I believe it is likely that there needs to be almost a total re-engineering of the molecular basis of this life. A total rebuild of enzymes, proteins and perhaps even up to DNA.
Energy matters as well. Having molecules in chemical structures with different binding energies can make many chemical reactions unviable.
..
The most obvious and most basic example of this in the carbon world is simply and very importantly the difficulty of breaking down glucopyranose structures in cellulose CF glucose. Although there are six carbon chains forming the basis of the cellulose monomers, the energy configuration is particularly low making it difficult to break down this chemical structure.
Tula
Vampires and zombies are an interesting proposal for life extension. While I would argue that being a zombie is not really a life extended, being a vampire does give access to life extended at a price. Intelligence is preserved, though with altered imperatives and drives.
I think another interesting proposal is that the computer intelligences as they evolved into AI’s may seek to become human. This is showcased in the book by Robert Heinlein “Time enough for Love” in which Minerva the ship computer downloads a cut down version of herself into a human body in process of seeking a life with her beloved.
Natural life extension has been talked about for a long time. Hanno in Poul Anderson’s “ Boat of a Million Years” and Milo Morai in Robert Adams’ Horse Clans Series showcases human beings living long and living strong “for natural reasons”.
I think there is another comment to be made. Vincent Freeman in the movie Gattaca shows a human who believes that they can transcend the limitations of their genes. We may be as our genes make us, but our choices define us as well. Although nature defines us, we really make ourselves.
Aspects of Brisbane that the concept of Life Extension suggests to me:
- Health retreats
- Retreats and resorts in Brisbane
Luxury escapes with fireplaces near Brisbane Include:
- Lakeside on the side of Lake Baroon (just outside Montville). Each tree house has a different name and personality, but if you can, choose ‘Secrets’. The walk along the hand-carved elevated walkway to get to your room and the fireplace that hangs from the ceiling make this place seem like a fairy-tale. Secretsonthelake.com.au
Lakeside Lake Baroon Scenic Rim 1
Lakeside Lake Baroon Scenic Rim 2
Lakeside Lake Baroon Scenic Rim 3
- Cabins at Glass on Glasshouse : They each have two walls that are completely glass (hence the name), giving you 180-degree views of Mt Beerwah and Mt Coonowrin.
www.candlewoodcabins.com
Cabins-at-Glass-in-Glasshouses-1
Cabins-at-Glass-in-Glasshouses-2
Cabin-retreats-Montville-Maleny
- Narrows Escape Rainforest Retreat: Montville Region: www.narrowescape.com.au
Narrows-Escape-Rainforest-Retreat-Montville-3
Narrows-Escape-Rainforest-Retreat-Montville-4
Narrows-Escape-Rainforest-Retreat-Montville
- Alure Boutique Villas:
www.alurestanthorpe.com.au
Alure-Boutique-Villas-1
Alure-Boutique-Villas-2
Alure-Boutique-Villas-3
- Spicers Peak Lodge (Maryvale):
Spicers-Peak-Lodge-1
Spicers-Peak-Lodge-2
Spicers-Peak-Lodge-3
- Gold Coast Hinterland: Nightfall Wilderness Camp :
The Safari-style tent has brushed hardwood floors, hand carved stone basins and, of course, a fireplace.
Nightfall-Wilderness-Camp-1
Nightfall-Wilderness-Camp-2
Nightfall-Wilderness-Camp-3
- The Mouses House Rainforest Retreat : There are 12 chalets – each one has a unique name like ‘Dopey’, ‘Sleepy’ and ‘Doc’ – but skip the dwarfs and grab a night in the ‘Wicked Witch’. It’s got a private hot tub that overlooks a rainforest stream.
Mouses-House-Rainforest-Retreat-1
Mouses-House-Rainforest-Retreat-2
- Binna Burra Lodge overlooking The Coomera and Numinbah Valleys
Binna-Burra-Lodge-1
Binna-Burra-Lodge-2
- Treehouse retreat: Pethers rainforest retreat: Mt Tamborine
Pethers-Treehouse-Escape-1
The Scenic Rim on the Gold Coast hinterland offers some truly unique and wonderful scenery. The geographical regions within this area include:
- Boona and Main Range
- Rathdowney and Mt Barney
- Canungra
- Lamington National Park
- Tamborine
- Beaudesert
Rainforest and a setting of solitude beckon. This region has many graded walking tracks leading to lush rainforests, hidden waterfalls, dramatic lookouts and some of the world's last remaining warm temperate rainforest and Antarctic beech (Nothofagus moorei ) cool temperate rainforest.
The Scenic Rim is also home to the largest tract of sub-tropical rainforest in the world and most of it has been protected with world-heritage listing. The remainder is often carefully preserved by private landholders-making unique accommodation sites available.
Some of the walking tracks around O'Reillys on Tamborine are true treasures. They are part of the Temperate Rainforest remaining on the plateau's national park. Walks include:
Tree Top Walk
Orchid Circuit Walk
Wishing Tree and Mick's Tower
Python Rock
Moran's Falls
West Cliffs (Pat's Bluff)
Moonlight Crag and Balancing Rock
Castle Crag
Picnic Rock and Elebana Falls
Lyrebird Lookout.
The area is immense. Plan carefully and don't get lost. Always prepare for a possible mishap. Remember, walking tracks in wet weather can be dangerous.
Dr AXxxxx: If you break a leg, its a really long hop back. If you break two legs though, you can crawl with a lot more safety.
Clever New Applications: for Life Extension
Measurement. The measurement of ageing is the single most important achievement in understanding ageing and learning to implement changes in the mechanisms of ageing. Someone who has had a lot of plastic surgery and looks young, is still biologically as old as they ever would have been. They just have the appearance of being young.
So it is the definition of endpoints which is critical.
- Suggestions include telomere length in different cell lines. (Many have considered telomere lengths in lymphoid cell lines, but telomere lengths in fibroblasts or even organ cell lines may well be relevant or important as well).
- Skin elasticity is another possible measurement. This may need to be defined at different skin depths. Natural elastin is damaged by sun exposure, tends to be more common in the reticular dermis in general and less common in the deeper dermis. However it is the ageing effects that need to be measured.
- Hormone levels may well be another surrogate measure. Unfortunately they are prone to significant manipulation through diet, exercise or other activities or supplements. Some authors such as the Paill authors have suggested what cell counts and platelet numbers may be significant.
- Cartilage thickness and quality may be important issue. However preservation of cartilage in different sites may depend on physical activity, so methods of quantitation will need to be defined.
- 3-D Printing. The ability to build three-dimensional scaffolds and to colonise these with cells are likely to form a significant application for long-term targeting of life extension. At the very least defective organs can be replaced and damaged tissues such as cartilage findings may well be able to be replaced for the first time.
- Immune functions: measurement. The human immune system is believed to function by clonal expansion rather than neo-antibody production after the age of about 50. Immune changes are likely to be highly significant and longevity.
Food Production. If people live longer there will be more of them to feed. I am drawn to a picture in a novel by Robert Heinlein: Time enough for Love. In this novel geriatric refugees escape from the Earth to the Moon. Due to the burgeoning human population on earth, the population has enacted compulsory senescence.
Property cannot be held by older people and must be passed on to the younger generations. People cannot be allowed to live beyond their allotted time – though I suppose this can be taxed. The Paill authors have suggested that the human population could easily reach 15 to 70 billion people with human life extension. Feeding these people becomes an important tool for life extension in itself.