Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

New Research Could Slow Human Aging

Posted by samzenpus on from the slowing-things-down dept.

schliz writes "A team of scientists from Japan and New Zealand have helped baker's yeast live 50% longer than usual by artificially stabilizing a genetic sequence called ribosomal DNA. The study's authors say that rDNA is a 'hot spot for production of the aging signal.' Because rDNA genes are very similar in yeast and humans, they say their experiment is a first step towards anti-aging drugs."

10 of 180 comments (clear)

  1. How does that work? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    So, by doing new research, I won't age as fast?

    1. Re:How does that work? by Mitchell314 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Well, remaining mentally and physically active has been linked to prolonged life spans . . .

      --
      I read TFA and all I got was this lousy cookie
    2. Re:How does that work? by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 4, Funny

      Well, remaining mentally and physically active has been linked to prolonged life spans . . .

      And vice versa, confirmed by a recent study on a large group of scientists with the control group being the local cemetery.

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    3. Re:How does that work? by cayenne8 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      over active people also wear out their body parts with the exertion. there is a happy medium though and i think that it just needed to be clarified. if you run several super marathons every year its going to kill you early... if you run a 5k it's all good.

      I think more studies are showing that intermittent interval sorts of exercise are the best.

      You do explosive runs for short bursts...and then do slow walking, lower activities in between, but these short intense explosions of activity mixed with low intensity activity seems to have the best effect on the human body.

      At least from what I'm reading these days...

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    4. Re:How does that work? by bitt3n · · Score: 4, Informative

      Well, remaining mentally and physically active has been linked to prolonged life spans . . .

      not just linked. there's a concrete relationship: 100% of dead people are neither mentally nor physically active.

      --
      how many pairs of boxer shorts should you own?
  2. But by nani+popoki · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...when 900 yeas old you be, look so good you will not!

  3. Re:With a world population of 7 billion, by jedidiah · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Don't be silly. The poor won't get to stop aging at 30. They will get screwed just like they always have. Only the ultra wealthy will have access to this stuff. Only a small subset of the population will get to stop aging at 30. The rest will get shortened lifespans if anything.

    --
    A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
  4. Re:With a world population of 7 billion, by gl4ss · · Score: 4, Insightful

    longer life expectancy correlates with smaller population growth.. just saying.

    btw if you want to buy some fresh water I got plenty to sell. it's not running out. moving it to where people for some stupid historical reason want to live is the problem...

    --
    world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
  5. What exactly is slowed? by jasnw · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Does this sort of thing cover both the aging of the body and the brain? What's the gain in living to be 150 if your brain stops functioning at any sort of useful level at age 70? Yeah, "lots of people" are still firing on all mental cylinders at age 70, but most are not. If everyone is alive up to age 150 but is a non-productive consumer of stuff starting at age 70 this whole "live long and prosper" thing will be a total nightmare. Even if brain aging is held in check, do we have the resources to support that many human beings on this planet?

  6. Yes by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 4, Funny

    .... because people's brains are just like baker's yeast.

    Or is it that most people's brains seem to function like they are made up of baker's yeast?

    Anyway 50% more of that doesn't sound particularly wonderful.