Engineering Immortality: the End of Aging?

Are there limits to the human lifespan? Is it possible to stop the process of aging? On average, humans now live far longer than at any point in our history thanks to science and technology. On the horizon, advances in new drugs and medical techniques promise a revolution in how we live, age and die. But these advances may come at a steep cost. In this program, experts explore future challenges while debating the ramifications of an immortal society.

PARTICIPANTS: Joseph J. Fins, James L. Kirkland, Jamie Metzl, Doris Taylor
MODERATOR: Bill Blakemore
Original program date: JUNE 2, 2017

This program is part of the Big Ideas Series, made possible with support from the John Templeton Foundation.

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00:00 Program Introduction

0:00:39 Participant Introductions

0:01:53 Program begins - "What is Biological Aging?"

0:09:46 "Where are we now in targeting the aging process?"

0:12:10 "Why is slowing or stopping aging a goal?"

0:15:45 "What is it about Americans and death?"

0:19:25 "Why are we spending so much on the diseases of aging and so little on targeting and studying aging itself?"

0:23:12 "What is the future?"

0:24:48 "What's the biggest intervention we can do today to live longer?"

0:28:25 "What do the next 20, 30 years look like?"

0:39:54 Supercentenarian

0:41:14 "What is healthspan versus lifespan?"

0:44:09 What is the role of inflammation in aging?

0:47:45 "Is death advantages for the evolution of the species?"

0:50:57 Audience questions: Is the singularity near? Where are we in treating Alzheimer's? What will our lifespan be 100 years from now?

This program was filmed live at the 2017 World Science Festival and edited for YouTube.

[dangiscongrataway]

Cmon guys I'm 23, I want to live at least a century

[charlesdarwin]

Death doesn’t give meaning to life all it does is make you give up on so many things you want to do, so many dreams you have and so many things you you want to learn. What it does is it makes you prioritise things you should focus on bcz you have limited time. Imagine if you were immortal wouldn’t you try your best to go after every dream you have. It is such a curse for people who have interests in many fields but they had to choose one of them because we have limited time. There could be so many polymath geniuses around if we were immortal. BELIEVING IN “Death gives meaning to life” IS JUST A BLISSFUL IGNORANCE.

[silberlinie]

Old people seem to be bored talking about their
hopes that have already been given up. Because
they can no longer reach immortality themselves,
they talk about concerns and difficulties.

Yes, then die after all. And leave those in peace
who prefer eternity. Good that there are also
those who rush forward. By the way, Jamie Metzl
is the admirable of the round.

[ZZ-rcyw]

The world would be better if we all reversed aged
We'd go back to our young selves to do so much more. Nothing is impossible

[mirusvet]

"I'm worried about us engineering our future as human species" - And what do you think we been doing for past ten thousands this dude, get on a bike.

[ElenaKomleva]

Instead of talking about how to prolong life, they end up talking about how it is okay to die and we shouldn't be afraid of it! There's no hope of defeating death with such apathetic scientists!!

[coolcat]

Death doesn't give life meaning! Aging is a disease we cant cure yet!

[justsaynotoboomers]

These guys must not know history well. The low life expectancy was due mostly to violent deaths and infant mortality. If you look at current tribesmen who live as hunter gatherers, many live to 80 and beyond.

[Mcat_XX]

“I don’t think immortality will be possible for a very long time if ever”

This is not the info I clicked for >:(

[supremex]

I disagree with these people. I want immortality. Death does not give life meaning or make you do things with your life.

Edited to fix a typo.

[stateazure]

Not afraid of dying at all, but man would I love to have a lot more time, especially with the exciting space tech. and astronomy to look forward to. If I die just before we discover the first inhabited planet around another star, or just the miss the first Mars colony, I'm going to be pissed!! (I'm only 46, so I might get to see these things).

[Eldorado]

Great, can't wait to watch this. Oh and even though I am looking forward to seeing other opinions and takes on this topic - please keep *Aubrey de Grey* in mind next time you prepare a panel on healthspan.

[adamscoincollection]

I am ready to volunteer myself for the reverse ageing studies! Just let me know when and where and I'll go!

[JohnDoe]

I don't want to age and die from infirmities. 😞😞😞😞😞

[iraklitos]

People who claim they don't want to live forever or at least 200 years or so, are hilarious.

[ChintanPandya]

The thing the panel missed when discussing is this:
The avg life expectancy is based in part on child mortality rate. With Avg life expectancy of 25 years in roman times as the Fiction Writer said wrongly; It is not that people will die by age 25. And living to be over 40 was an achievement. It means that environmental and other factors are more in favor of people dying by 25 than a later time in life. Doesn't mean people who passed the age of 25 didn't live long. Two very different things. It was not uncommon to live to be old or inherently biological that restricting lifespan after that barrier of 25 years. Even at that time people lived to be 80 or 90 years old. Ben Franklin is an example at 84 years.

[USAtoElsewhere]

Some people have said Roen Horn is crazy but at least he realizes anything is possible and living forever is substantially possible.

[Sci-Que]

A high profile Program like World Science Festival could have done much better picking a panel for this topic, like for instance, Liz Parish, David Sinclair, Craig Venter and George Church Real experts in this field of age reversal.

[darrenmarcum]

Jaime Metzl has some very strong points and is at least optimistic about the human factor in all of this. I have faith in humanity and am completely on board with the advancement of all the mentioned techne. Figure out the issues that arise from this and we will prosper.

[MichaelSHartman]

Excellent intriguing video. Thank you.