UCLA Biologists Delay the Aging Process In Fruit Flies

An anonymous reader writes:Life scientists at UCLA have located a gene in fruit flies which, when intentionally activated, increases lifespan by about 30%. The gene (called AMPK) is normal important as an energy sensor, usually triggered by cells with low energy levels. By triggering it at other times, the researchers slowed the fruit flies' aging process (PDF), even beyond the organ system in which the triggering occurred. "Walker said that the findings are important because extending the healthy life of humans would presumably require protecting many of the body's organ systems from the ravages of aging — but delivering anti-aging treatments to the brain or other key organs could prove technically difficult. The study suggests that activating AMPK in a more accessible organ such as the intestine, for example, could ultimately slow the aging process throughout the entire body, including the brain."

Comments

Are they crazy?

[nospam007]

I can't get rid of those beasts and they try to make them live longer?

Re:You've never had fruit flies?

[dave1791]

Pour vinegar into a bowl. Add a bit of liquid soap, to lower the surface tension. Place it next to the place where you have your fruit fly infestation and wait a day or two.

Listen, can you hear the noise from my kitchen?

[MindPrison]

It's the sound of the fruit flies that reside in my kitchen cheering like mad, they apparently read Slashdot too.

They're getting intelligent too, the other day - one of them discovered that beer/vinegar + dish-washing liquid is dangerous, so only ONE of the little buggers died - the rest steer towards my beer bottles the SECOND I open it, I swear to you - these bastards have developed some sort of high end technology for seeking my beer, chocolate or any fruit I have laying around. Their targeting systems should be adopted by the military, they're more goal oriented than a group of old people at the mall fighting over the last piece of meat.

I'm going down to the kitchen right now to whack a few of the fat bastards.