Immortality.
We’ve all likely harbored such thoughts, mostly as teens when mortality is an abstraction. And that was before texting while driving. And for those of us who were privy to the Old Testament, we were informed that Noah, after building that archetypal zoo, lived into his mid-900s. That’s coming pretty close.
So, yes, we should be able to do better than longevity into our 70s and 80s. Officially, the World Health Organization says the overall, worldwide life expectancy at birth is 71 years. The U.S., at 79.8, ranks 33rd.
Now we learn that a Stanford-trained radiologist, Joon Yun, has launched a ($1 million) science competition with the aim of “curing” aging. It involves 11 teams, at last count, signing up for the Palo Alto Longevity Prize. The competition has drawn well-credentialed researchers from across the country.
It has its critics, and not because it sounds like the ultimate reality show.
Some wonder whether increased longevity would rob life of its meaning. Or sense of urgency. Others say it would exacerbate global overpopulation.
“Balderdash,” said Dr. Yun. “I wouldn’t expect, say, Bernie Madoff or Charles Manson to be overly impressed with the prospect of immortality, but others should be able to concede that if, as a species, we’re innovative enough to hack aging, we’re smart enough to handle any scenario.
“That surprised me. But live and learn, I guess.”