According to NewScientist, a team of US scientists have successfully doubled the lifespan of the nematode worm without any apparant side-effects.

 

"The gene, called daf-2, is also found in fruit flies and mice, and Kenyon thinks it is possible that it is present in humans. Interfering with this gene in a similar way might also safely extend the human lifespan, she says."

 

Check out the article here.

 

Journal reference: Science (vol 289, p 830)

I might have to check into this

I'd love to comment on this, however once again your news post lacked remotely adequate detail.

ROFL. well click the link you lazy slothlike creature.

I did a small report on that article for my Bio class, due today (Friday).

 

All I said was what's the problem with making people infertile while doubling their lifespan? (Only if this gene is found in humans and behaves in a smiliar manner) It would control the human population which is growing at a huge rate. And.....the only way people would agree to live twice as long would be if all the diseases that came with old age were cured. You wouldn't want Alhiemzer's in your 170's now would ya?

Originally posted by blike

ROFL. well click the link you lazy slothlike creature.

 

Fine let's be hostile. It's not modifying the gene you insipid USF messycan, it's using RNAi techniques to prevent expression.

There's a vaccine for Alzheimers. It's also genetics based, so we could use RNAi on that gene too.

Extended life along with other medical advancements wouldn't be a problem in the advanced world with a handle on birth control.

It would be hell if the third world had it available.

Just aman

Colonizing the moon and mars in the only short term solution to overpopulation (even though it it won't be for another couple hundred years)

In another couple of hundred years I doubt (a) that we'd have any resources left to colonise the moon and Mars, and (b) that they'd provide enough space and resources.

I'm ready to go tommorrow. All we need is some sheet metal, a welding torch, and some rocket engines. Piece of cake.

Just aman

Good luck and remember to send us a post card.

Are you sure you don't want company?

After all, we are all human...

 

lol

Don't discourage him.

Originally posted by blike

According to NewScientist, a team of US scientists have successfully doubled the lifespan of the nematode worm without any apparant side-effects.

..................................................

Check out the article here.

 

Well, a link on the same news article points toward this

 

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99992890

 

which is the UK's Nobel prize-winning effort on the extension of life in worms. A slightly better constructed article actually explains the process, I suspect because the scientist explaining it understood what he was doing. Unlike the report from the unnamed US research centre, probably in a trailer park out south, in an article published just 17 days after the Nobel prize was awarded.

 

 

Genius.