An interesting article from the BBC today on the discovery of a set of genes that would ensure people live to over 100 years, regardless of their bad habits.
SCIENTISTS have discovered the “Methuselah” genes whose lucky carriers have a much improved chance of living to 100 even if they indulge in an unhealthy lifestyle.The genes appear to protect people against the effects of smoking and bad diet and can also delay the onset of age-related illnesses such as cancer and heart disease by up to three decades.No single gene is a guaranteed fountain of youth. Instead, the secret of longevity probably lies in having the right “suite” of genes, according to new studies of centenarians and their families. Such combinations are extremely rare — only one person in 10,000 reaches the age of 100.The genes found so far each appear to give a little extra protection against the diseases of old age. Centenarians appear to have a high chance of having several such genes embedded in their DNA.
As science reaches a stage where we can ensure that our bodies don't grow old, the cells in our bodies remained are just as strong with each division, then possibly this would mean that combined with advances in medicine the likelihood of death through natural causes and diseases would be very small.
How old could we hypothetically live for? I'm guessing if we continue to advance as quickly in this area of science as we are now, and are able to understand and manipulate more and more our genetic code then really there is no limit. A world where people cannot die. Its a beautiful but scary thought.
If this was the case, and we could ensure that our children would live forever would it be ethical, in the interests of avoiding the overpopulation of the planet, to prevent reproduction through laws or even sterilization?
Who do we allow to breed? Or put another way, whose genetic code do we choose to be passed onto future generations? It would take artificial selection into a whole new dimension.
