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Genome Pioneer, X Prize Founder Tackle Aging

Posted by timothy on from the sell-it-on-a-subscription-plan dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Hot on the heels of Google's spin-off company Calico, another major contender has emerged in the race to develop technologies for extending healthy human lifespan. Dr Craig Venter, who was first to map the entire human genetic code and the first to engineer a synthetic lifeform, has teamed up with founder of the X-Prize, Dr Peter Diamandis, to create Human Longevity Inc. 'Your age is your No. 1 risk factor for almost every disease,' said Dr. Venter. 'Using the combined power of our core areas of expertise—genomics, informatics, and stem cell therapies, we are tackling one of the greatest medical/scientific and societal challenges — aging and aging related diseases,' said Dr. Venter. 'Between 1910 and 2010 improvements in medicine and sanitation increased the human lifespan by 50 percent from 50 to 75 years.....our goal is to make 100-years-old the new 60,' said Diamandis."

4 of 130 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Which means by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What pension? You're still getting fired one month before retirement. But the good news is, your corporate overlords are getting another 40 years of labor out of you.

  2. Target : 12 billion? by invictusvoyd · · Score: 4, Insightful

    our goal is to make 100-years-old the new 60,' said Diamandis."

    And where are we gonna get the water, gas , food etc for all these 12 Billion people ?
    Oh wait .. maybe the longetivity is only for the rich .

  3. Re: Why the fuck do you want to live forever? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You sound suicidal. Many of us greatly enjoy life and do not want it to be involuntarily taken away from us or those we love.

  4. Re:Which means by BasilBrush · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What the hell is point of medicine if not to extend life, anyway?

    Improving quality of life is more important than length of it. There's little point in extending life into the 100s, if those years are spent being unwell.

    And who wouldn't want to be healthier and live longer?

    Somewhere between 70 and 80 would do me nicely.

    Sure you get a lot of loudmouths who speak before they think blurbing about Malthusian crises

    It's a perfectly valid concern. This planet is finite, and the day when there's somewhere that would be pleasant to live that's off this planet seems like it's a very long way away.