An attendee at the Humanity+ UK 2010 conference offers thoughts on transhumanist goals: “The convergence of current technologies such as nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive science (NBIC) and future technologies such as artificial intelligence, mind uploading, cryonics, and simulated reality, is truly inspirational. … I think we all have a vested interest in Aubrey de Grey’s idea that aging is simply a disease, and a curable one at that. His plan is to identify all the components that cause human tissue to age, and design remedies for each of them through his approach called SENS (Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence). Once we can extend human life spans by thirty years, we’re well on our way to immortality. Aubrey de Grey claims that the first human being to live a thousand years has probably already been born. From the way he talks, the biggest challenge in the race against mortality is funding! So I highly encourage those of you with means and an interest to donate to the SENS Foundation. … Another fascinating speaker was David Pearce, advocating the abolition of suffering throughout the living world. … He argues that as we develop these technologies, it is both our moral and hedonistic imperative to rid all sentient beings of pain.”

View the Article Under Discussion: http://beforeitsnews.com/news/38084/Transhumanism_and_the_Future_of_the_Human_Race.html

Read More Longevity Meme Commentary: http://www.longevitymeme.org/news/

Recommendation and review posted by G. Smith

Sequencing our own DNA and cross-referencing the results against the best of present scientific knowledge will soon be cheap and routine. This is an example of the sort of incremental progress in medical technology that is increasing human life expectancy year after year: a little more prevention here, a little better insight into how to cure there. From ScienceDaily: “For the first time, researchers have used a healthy person’s complete genome sequence to predict his risk for dozens of diseases and how he will respond to several common medications. The risk analysis [also] incorporates more-traditional information such as a patient’s age and gender and other clinical measurements. The resulting, easy-to-use, cumulative risk report will likely catapult the use of such data out of the lab and into the waiting room of average physicians within the next decade, say the scientists. … The $1,000 genome is coming fast. The challenge lies in knowing what to do with all that information. We’ve focused on establishing priorities that will be most helpful when a patient and a physician are sitting together looking at the computer screen. … Information like this will enable doctors to deliver personalized health care like never before. Patients at risk for certain diseases will be able to receive closer monitoring and more frequent testing, while those who are at lower risk will be spared unnecessary tests. This will have important economic benefits as well, because it improves the efficiency of medicine.”

View the Article Under Discussion: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100429204658.htm

Read More Longevity Meme Commentary: http://www.longevitymeme.org/news/

Recommendation and review posted by G. Smith