Age Reduction Breakthrough? • Hacker News Board

Re: Age Reduction Breakthrough?

#221

Post by burmer » Mon, May 11, 2020, 6:06 PM UTC

steelframe wrote: post #105

eganist wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At risk of sounding absolutely insane: There's probably no way to prove that this hasn't happened. Anyone who realizes they're not aging normally would likely have taken on a new identity elsewhere for fear of: 1. being burned at the stake 2. being trialed in repeated experiments 3. being deified, and then subsequently being burned at the stake. --- I realize my comment sounds like a joke, but I'm entirely serious. I…

Someone I work with looks very youthful for their actual age, and that isn't always a good thing. When the team went on an offsite morale event jet skiing, he was told by the proprietor that he couldn't participate because their policy requires you to be at least 16 years old. He was 27 at the time. He never lived that down with his peers. When he tries to go to a bar with friends, he's sometimes accused of trying to…

Yeah, I have experienced this as well before hair loss started up in earnest. Not really fun walking around with your partner of the same age and someone thinking she's your mom (she started graying early).

Re: Age Reduction Breakthrough?

#222

Post by pmiller2 » Mon, May 11, 2020, 6:06 PM UTC

Koshkin wrote: post #151

But aging, followed by death, is important. And not just for the biological evolution, but also for social progress. Besides, lifespan is measured not in years or the total length of the spaghetti consumed but in memories and accomplishments. So, I am not sure what exactly is the point of trying to extend human biological lifespan. There were people that in 30 years had accomplished more than other would not be able…

I don't see a single benefit we could get as a species from the combination of aging + death that we couldn't get from death alone, provided the viable reproductive period weren't dramatically extended. Even then, we do a pretty good job of moderating the number of children we have, if we're confident they'll live, as other comments have said.

Re: Age Reduction Breakthrough?

#223

Post by odyssey7 » Mon, May 11, 2020, 6:10 PM UTC

eganist wrote: post #70

maxander wrote: post #63

Since it seems like the upshot of all of this is that Katcher is claiming to have discovered a set of signalling molecules which, when injected, rejuvenate tissue and presumably lengthen life, it runs into one of the most fundamental objections that can be leveled at theory of aging (or cure thereof): of the billions of humans that have existed, how is it that none of them have possessed a mutation which (in this cas…

At risk of sounding absolutely insane: There's probably no way to prove that this hasn't happened. Anyone who realizes they're not aging normally would likely have taken on a new identity elsewhere for fear of: 1. being burned at the stake 2. being trialed in repeated experiments 3. being deified, and then subsequently being burned at the stake. --- I realize my comment sounds like a joke, but I'm entirely serious. I…

I’d guess that one out of fifty times the person would not die prematurely, have the means and foresight, and then go on to do this; and that one out of two times their community, which they don’t part ways with, catches on and names them a god for a while.

Re: Age Reduction Breakthrough?

#224

Post by koheripbal » Mon, May 11, 2020, 6:11 PM UTC

rantwasp wrote: post #213

Improving longevity is what the people at https://www.lifespan.io/ have been trying to do for ages. The research is being done, there are tons of new promising things - with the catch that they are experimental / not tested on humans. Before you get too excited and wonder where you can buy these magic pills, remember that there are things you can do right now to improve both your longevity and your quality of life: 1…

While I generally support these efforts, I have feeling it would be easier to engineer a way to escape these meat bag prisons we live in, and construct an android body that isn't built from the worst form of spaghetti DNA code imaginable.

Re: Age Reduction Breakthrough?

#225

Post by gotrythis » Mon, May 11, 2020, 6:11 PM UTC

eganist wrote: post #70

maxander wrote: post #63

Since it seems like the upshot of all of this is that Katcher is claiming to have discovered a set of signalling molecules which, when injected, rejuvenate tissue and presumably lengthen life, it runs into one of the most fundamental objections that can be leveled at theory of aging (or cure thereof): of the billions of humans that have existed, how is it that none of them have possessed a mutation which (in this cas…

At risk of sounding absolutely insane: There's probably no way to prove that this hasn't happened. Anyone who realizes they're not aging normally would likely have taken on a new identity elsewhere for fear of: 1. being burned at the stake 2. being trialed in repeated experiments 3. being deified, and then subsequently being burned at the stake. --- I realize my comment sounds like a joke, but I'm entirely serious. I…

Have you seen "The Man From Earth"?

Re: Age Reduction Breakthrough?

#226

Post by Meegul » Mon, May 11, 2020, 6:12 PM UTC

abootstrapper wrote: post #197

Meegul wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm only 23, so I understand that I am young, but looking young is, without a doubt, a serious disadvantage when it comes to people trusting in your ability. I recently worked on overhauling the reporting system for one of the largest police departments in the US, and every step along the way I was asked who was in charge, how did I enter the workforce so young, how I got an internship while attending high school (I…

I always looked about 5 years younger than my age. It sucked when I was young. At 40 it’s not the worst quality, but it also doesn’t help much. So I look 35, big whoop. I did discover wearing my hair long in my 20s made me look a bit older (eh, more like my age). Might try modifying your look.

Absolutely, just dressing differently and changing a few things has helped. Facial hair is a big one. I'd rather look young than be balding at 23 like some of my peers.

Re: Age Reduction Breakthrough?

#227

Post by zemvpferreira » Mon, May 11, 2020, 6:12 PM UTC

koheripbal wrote: post #219

rantwasp wrote: post #213

Improving longevity is what the people at https://www.lifespan.io/ have been trying to do for ages. The research is being done, there are tons of new promising things - with the catch that they are experimental / not tested on humans. Before you get too excited and wonder where you can buy these magic pills, remember that there are things you can do right now to improve both your longevity and your quality of life: 1…

I believe the most impactful thing you can do is drastically reduce caloric intake - like by 50%. Experiments have show large increases in lifespan, across mammals.

It's weird to me to say so but this intervention is one of the few things that, even if it were to demonstrably increase my lifespan from ~80 to ~120 years, I probably wouldn't do.

I don't know if that's because I enjoy food and bodily activity too much to value a longer life without them or because I'm addicted to food. I've wondered.

What wouldn't you be willing to give up for a much longer life?

Re: Age Reduction Breakthrough?

#228

Post by Pfhreak » Mon, May 11, 2020, 6:12 PM UTC

stronglikedan wrote: post #97

Pfhreak wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Depends on who has access. Do you think everyone will have equal access to this treatment?

Are there any elective treatments that people don't have equal access to?

Many? Dental care, for example, definitely has unequal access. Implant replacement for a tooth is several thousands of dollars out of pocket. Wealthy folks can afford to get a tooth made and an implant added (and can afford the time off work for surgery recovery.) Less wealthy people might not be able to afford to replace a tooth (and need to just have the tooth pulled or live with the pain), or cannot take the time off to recover.

Re: Age Reduction Breakthrough?

#229

Post by arthurjj » Mon, May 11, 2020, 6:14 PM UTC

eganist wrote: post #70

maxander wrote: post #63

Since it seems like the upshot of all of this is that Katcher is claiming to have discovered a set of signalling molecules which, when injected, rejuvenate tissue and presumably lengthen life, it runs into one of the most fundamental objections that can be leveled at theory of aging (or cure thereof): of the billions of humans that have existed, how is it that none of them have possessed a mutation which (in this cas…

At risk of sounding absolutely insane: There's probably no way to prove that this hasn't happened. Anyone who realizes they're not aging normally would likely have taken on a new identity elsewhere for fear of: 1. being burned at the stake 2. being trialed in repeated experiments 3. being deified, and then subsequently being burned at the stake. --- I realize my comment sounds like a joke, but I'm entirely serious. I…

Robert Heinlein had a whole universe where this was the case. A group of people had been bred to live as long as possible and hid it from the wider world for fear of being hunted down and used as lab rats. They end up fleeing to space when discovered.

Re: Age Reduction Breakthrough?

#230

Post by gotrythis » Mon, May 11, 2020, 6:15 PM UTC

steelframe wrote: post #105

eganist wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At risk of sounding absolutely insane: There's probably no way to prove that this hasn't happened. Anyone who realizes they're not aging normally would likely have taken on a new identity elsewhere for fear of: 1. being burned at the stake 2. being trialed in repeated experiments 3. being deified, and then subsequently being burned at the stake. --- I realize my comment sounds like a joke, but I'm entirely serious. I…

Someone I work with looks very youthful for their actual age, and that isn't always a good thing. When the team went on an offsite morale event jet skiing, he was told by the proprietor that he couldn't participate because their policy requires you to be at least 16 years old. He was 27 at the time. He never lived that down with his peers. When he tries to go to a bar with friends, he's sometimes accused of trying to…

I think people age at different rates.

My Dad is in his mid 80's and plays four hours of sports a day, or at least he was before the pandemic hit.

When I was in my mid-20's I had to impress the hell out of potential clients to get work, as I looked like I was 15, and girls my own age wouldn't look at me as I was too young. I never drank, so bars weren't an issue. When I was in my early forties, 15-20 year old girls were still coming on to me. I will be 50 next year, and I finally look like I'm in my 20s or 30s, and still get those looks from University-aged girls whenever I venture where they hang out.

A couple of years ago, my now 43 year old partner was mistaken for her teenage doppelganger and asked to the high school prom by three different boys while walking home from work.

It was annoying earlier, but now I look forward to turning out to be one of the immortals.