Will Human Lifespans Continue to Expand? – Reasons for Optimism

Are you expecting to live in a robust and healthy state well beyond age 100? We are currently used to seeing age 80-ish as the limit with those living beyond that in mostly poor, frail shape. Also, if you look at recent stats from the US that show life expectancy has dropped for 3 years in a row, you may be a little doubtful of that idea.

Nevertheless, one of the foremost scientists in the area of human healthy life extension, Aubrey De Grey, might change your mind. Aubrey has recently become more optimistic about the timing for the arrival of rejuvenating therapies.

Aubrey de Grey is getting more bullish about his timeframes for robust human rejuvenation and longevity escape velocity. He now thinks it is only 18 years away and not 25 years anymore.

There is fastly progressing science and there is a rapid increase in funding and formation of companies.

See; Aubrey de Grey Thinks Robust Human Longevity Might Be Here by 2037 – NextBigFuture.com via Aubrey de Grey Thinks Robust Human Longevity Might Be Here by 2037 – NextBigFuture.com

The two main reasons stated are that money flowing into research and development is rapidly increasing, and, that recent research indicates that a less-than-comprehensive set of rejuvenation therapies  will have more impact than previously thought. Aubrey’s SENS research details 7 ways we age – all of which, it seemed, needed to be stopped. It’s not helpful to just stop 6 out of 7 bullets that are flying at you!

However, there is now some indication that,

…partial SENS will be able to deliver significant life extension impact….It seems that the removal of senescent cells will deliver useful health benefits and some longevity.

Meanwhile, even mainstream investment/financial firms are catching on;

Human lifespan could soon pass 100 years thanks to tech, says BofA. One of the biggest investment opportunities over the next decade will be in companies working to delay human death, Bank of America says. via Human lifespan could soon pass 100 years thanks to tech, says BofA

Since everyone on the planet is a potential customer, the market for extending healthy life span will be a very big one. Now, with promising therapies starting to come out of the lab and into the clinic, it appears that this longevity industry is in take-off mode.

My take is that, the timing is, of course, still uncertain. But as more and more effort, money and attention gets placed on “curing aging”, the outcome is getting closer!

Live long, live well, and prosper!

Michael