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Top 10 Medical & Technological Advances That Could Help You Live 1,000 Years POSTED BY JIM CISCELL ON CISCELL ON JULY 31, 2012 IN BIZARRE BIZARRE,, SCIENCE SCIENCE | | 3103 VIEWS | 12 RESPONSES
Celebrating TopTenz.net’s 1,000th list coming up on August 3, 2012, here is our 2nd list this week about the number 1,000. In 1974, Gene Wilder, playing Dr. Frederick Frankenstein Frankenstein,, screamed in an annoyed tone at a young medical medical student, “Hearts and kidneys are are tinker toys I!m talking a"out a"out t#e central ner$ous system% system% &s long as t#ere #as "een science science 'ction, t#ere #as "een "een speculation a"out a"out longer(lasting li)e. Here are tec#nologies tec#nologies and medical ad$ances actually "eing discussed or *orked on, t#at could one day allo* people to li$e to "e a t#ousand years old.
10. Neuroprosthetics
+europrost#etics +europrost#eti cs are implants placed on a ner$e, or onto t#e central ner$ous system, in order to replace mo"ility mo"ility lost "y accident accident or disease. otor )unctionality )unctionality in t#e "ody reacts to outside stimuli, stimuli, *#et#er it is natural natural or un(natural. +europrost#etic +europrost#eticss could not only one day allo* people *it# lost lim"s to replace t#ose lim"s, "ut also may ser$e as a replacement parts directory )or most )unctions o) t#e #uman "ody. " ody.
+europrost#etics +europrost#eti cs #old t#e ultimate key to replacing damaged "ody parts and allo*ing t#em to sync up *it# your normal "rain )unctions. &s long as -te$e artin!s The an !ith Two "rains euation t#at “your "rain dies last% #old true, t#en you can one day #a$e a "ody o) replaceme replacement nt parts ri$aling -te$e &ustin!s, &ustin!s, controlled "y neuroprost#etics. In s#ort, neuroprost#etics may, one day, gi$e us /uke -ky*alker!s #and, 0o"ocop!s "ody, or y"org!s cy"ernetic parts. -ource -ource 2
9. Brain-Co Brain-Computer mputer Interface
0emem"er in The atri# , *#en +eo #ad t#e super needle put into t#e "ack o) #is neck t#at taug#t #im kung()u3 Welcome to t#e eciting eciting *orld o) "rain(computer "rain(computer inter)aces. inter)aces. 5#is is a real t#ing and *ill really make you say “*#oa “ *#oa.% .% & "rain(computer "rain(computer inter)ace inter)ace is a direct link "et*een an outside mac#ine, and a neurologic neurological al process *it#in t#e "rain or ner$e ending itsel). In s#ort, a "rain computer inter)ace can interact *it# an eisting neural )unction to restore cogniti$e a"ilities a"ilities and )unctions. I) t#e synapses *it#in t#e "rain are not *orking properly, t#e 6rain omputer Inter)ace can ack into t#e "rain and restore
motor )unctions. )unctions. 8rgo and t#ere)ore, t#ere)ore, t#ere *ould "e no reason reason )or t#e "rain damage to "e permanent. -cience is getting getting closer to "eing a"le to restore restore )unctions. Ho*e$er, *#y on eart# eart# *ould you stop at restoring, *#en t#e net logical step *ould "e en#ancing *#at is already t#ere3 6rain(compute 6rain(computerr inter)aces not only #old t#e key to repairing damaged )unctions, "ut to also en#ancing en#ancing already eisting eisting ones. “W#oa,% indeed. Welcome to eternal li)e and a red "elt. -ource -ource 2
8. DNA Repair
:eople may t#ink t#at D+& is like a dusty set o) "lueprints. 5#e D+& is t#ere t #ere *#en you are "orn, and t#ere *#en *#en you die. die. Ho*e$er, D+& is muc# muc# more t#an t#at. D+& can
act a computer *it#in t#e cell directing de$elopment, as *ell as repairing damage to t#e cell itsel). In s#ort, t#e key to long(lasting li)e, and getting into 6i"lical 6i"lical and and $ord o% the &ings territory, rests greatly on t#e a"ility o) t#e D+& to adapt and, yes, mutate mutate to to deal *it# damages. For instance, cancer is a "reakdo*n "reakdo*n o) D+&!s a"ility to repair itsel), as *ell as a mutation. mutation. 5#e key actually lies lies in kno*ing enoug# a"out a"out t#e D+& to 'gure out #o* to umpstart our natural process at optimum le$els. For instance, *orking *it# mice, t#e deletion o) a single protein restores t#e D+&, and repairs natural )unction. In essence, D+& is like a car car engine. Wit# regular tune(ups and c#anges, c#anges, t#ere is no reason not to "elie$e "elie$e t#at t#e "ody is capa"le o) restoring restoring itsel) into in'nity. in'nity. ;) course, once *e 'gure out #o* to restore t#e D+& repair a"ility, t#en Wol$erine *ill "e ust anot#er guy *it# a really "ad #aircut. /ogan!s “#ealing )actor% is merely D+& repair on a <ose anseco(le$el o) #orse steroids. ;) course, getting t#roug# a -out#*est terminal *it# an adamantium skeleton is going to "e a "itc#. -ource -ource 2
7. Anti-Aging En!mes
5#e more aging is studied, t#e more it seems like it s#ould "e treated as a disease. 5o t#is point, aging does not not appear to "e as natural a process process as *e mig#t t#ink. 0at#er, aging is an attack attack on our eisting processes. 5#e e=ects o) aging are starting to "e traced to speci'c en>ymes. en>ymes. I) t#ose en>ymes can can "e repaired, t#en t#e restoration restoration o) t#eir natural )unctionality *ould seem to eliminate t#e need )or aging altoget#er. 5#us, anti(aging en>ymes en>ymes #old t#e key. & study, concluded in 2??7, disco$ered disco$ered t#at t*o en>ymes @-I05A and -I054B, play a key role in t#e mitoc#ondrial di$ision o) cells. 5#e loss o) t#e cells! a"ility to di$ide, and reproduce, lead to many o) t#e e=ects t#at *e re)er to as “aging%. “aging%. 5#ese t*o en>ymes en>ymes )unction as as “cell "atteries.% "atteries.% &s t#ese "atteries, "atteries, and production o) t#ese en>ymes en>ymes *ane, t#en *e get many many o) t#e e=ects o) aging. I) science is a"le to restore t#e a"ility to produce, or t#e )unctionality o) t#e en>ymes in t#e #uman "ody, t#en again t#ere is no reason *#y t#e natural e=ects o) aging cannot "e stopped or, ultimately, re$ersed. re$ersed. 5#ese t*o genes are no* "eing *orked on as drug targets, to slo* do*n and possi"ly stop t#e e=ects e=ects o) aging aging altoget#er. altoget#er. 5#ey #a$e s#o*ed t#at t#at *#en cells cells are put under under stress, suc# as *#en calories are restricted, t#e t*o genes go into action and protect cells )rom t#e diseases o) aging.
5#e a"ility to elongate elongate li)e "y studying -I05A and -I054 are are o"$ious. 5#e only #ope is t#at t#e drugs *ill come in t#e )orm o) a pool *#ic# you "at#e in to restore your cell "atteries once e$ery e$ery )e* years. -I05A and -I054 may t#an t#an #old t#e key to t#e Cuid )ound in :once De/eon!s Fountain o) out#, or 0a!s &l G#ul!s /a>arus G#ul!s /a>arus :it. -ource -ource 2
". #artia$ Brain %ransp$ants
any o) t#e ins and outs o) #o* t#e "rain actually *orks are still a great mystery. Ho*e$er, it #as "een pro$en, *it# mice, t#at putting t#e correct tissue in t#e correct part o) t#e "rain may "e enoug# enoug# to allo* t#e "rain!s neuro(net neuro(net to restore itsel). 1n 19E2, Dr. Dorot#y 5. rieger rieger "red t*o di=erent types o) o) mice. ;ne set o) mice *as per)ectly normal. normal. 5#e altered strain o) mice lacked /.H.0.H @luteini>ing @luteini>ing #ormone releasing #ormoneB. #ormoneB. no*ing eactly *#ere *#ere t#e #ormone *as located in t#e "rain, Dr. reiger remo$ed t#e production center, *#ic# *as smaller t#an t#e #ead o) a matc#, and success)ully implanted t#e center into t#e "rains o) t#e de'cient mice. &D805I-88+5
5#e implanted section section o) "rain started to connect connect and gro* naturally. naturally. +ot only did t#e piece o) t#e "rain connect, connect, "ut t#e "rain also started to produce produce /.H.0.H. 5#e real c#allenge may lie in success)ully mapping t#e "rain, and kno*ing *#ere to input #ealt#y sections. In recent years, t#e tec#nology #as mo$ed to a$ian areas. ells )rom t#e "rain o) a 'nc# #a$e "een success)ully transplanted into a a c#icken c#icken,, complete *it# altered auditory and $ocal responses. W#en science kno*s eactly *#ic# cells to put into t#e correct part o) t#e "rain, you could t#en potentially potentially “seed% a "rain. Wit# proper nouris#ment, nouris#ment, t#e "rain seeds can gro* naturally, naturally, and t#e "rain itsel) *ill direct direct t#e reco$ery and implementatio implementation. n. &s long as t#e "rain can “seed%, t#en t #en t#e "rain can gro*)or a possi"ly in'nite time )rame. -ource
&. 'rgan #rinting
;rgan donation donation may one day gi$e *ay to organ organ printing. 5aking generated cells, cells, t#e t#eoretical organ printers *ould "uild a *orking organ one layer at a time. 5#is *ould
"e in muc# t#e same *ay t#at an old dot matri printer *ould “"uild% a line o) tet. -ince t#e cells *ould come )rom t#e patient t#emsel$es or a matc#ed type, t#ere *ould "e little )ear o) t#e "ody reecting t#e organs. &s a matter o) )act, a sample o) e$ery type o) cell "eing taken )rom a "ody could "ecome common place. -cientists are currently *orking on simple replacements, suc# as a "lood $essel. &s successes mount, t#e compleity o) t#e organs printed *ould "ecome more comple. 8$en i) t#e organ is damaged "eyond repair, ne* ones could "e gro*n to maturity, and t#en transplanted. :eople, *e are ocially entering into t#e realm o) t#e -tar 5rek replicator, and possi"ly t#e medical medical tri(corder. tri(corder. 5#ink it is ust science science 'ction3 5#e ni$ersity ni$ersity o) issouri issouri is is acti$ely *orking on t#e "lood $essel as *e speak. I) success)ul, t#e tec#nology can only "ecome more ad$anced )rom t#ere. Imagine a *orld in *#ic# deceased donors are are not e$en needed. &ll t#at is needed is some some cells and a mac#ine to print print a *orking organ ready )or insertion, insertion, *it#out )ear o) o) t#e "ody reecting it. 5#ey *ill #a$e to put a “t#ousand(year(and(up% “t#ousand(year(a nd(up% category in t#e ;lympics. -ource -ource 2
(. Artificia$ 'rgans
;) course, not e$eryt#ing e$eryt#ing #as to "e as “#ome gro*n% gro*n% as it mig#t sound. In t#e mo$ie&obocop mo$ie &obocop,, t#ere *as not muc# o) a "ody to sal$age. 5#ere is also al*ays t#e #ope t#at one day t#at t#ere *ill "e )ully reali>ed reali>ed cy"ernetic cy"ernetic se toys *it# #uman skin. skin. ;r 5erminatorsor 5erminator sor #ot c#icks *it# tails, like in Trans%ormers Trans%ormers'' &e(enge o% the )allen. We are not picky, as long as t#ere is a catalog. 5#e ad$ances in arti'cial organs, o$er t#e years, #a$e "een particularly striking. In 19E2,6arney 19E2, 6arney lark lark recei$ed t#e 'rst arti'cial #eart. lark *as deemed to "e too muc# o) a risk )or a #eart transplant, lea$ing an arti'cial de$ice pioneered "y Dr. 0o"ert <ar$ik. lark sur$i$ed sur$i$ed o$er a #undred days on t#e arti'cial arti'cial #eart. #eart. &d$ances in t#e
arti'cial #eart tec#nology #a$e led to *#at is kno*n as t#e 5otal &rti'cial Heart. 5#e 5otal &rti'cial Heart completely replaces t#e "ottom t*o $entricles o) t#e #eart. :atients can no* li$e se$eral years on 5otal &rti'cial Hearts. 5otal &rti'cial Hearts are no* also "eing de$eloped )or, and #a$e "een success)ully implemented implemented in, adolescents. ;) course, )or t#e moment, arti'cial organs are only a stop(gap measure, until donor organs can "e )ound. Ho*e$er, as ad$ances gro*, gro*, t#ere is no reason *#y, one day, day, you could "e potentially telling someone “I!ll "e "ack,% and +;5 get punc#ed in t#e )ace "y0oger "y 0oger 8"ert )or 8"ert )or mindlessly uoting t#at damn 'lm yet &G&I+. -ource -ource 2 -ource A
). Do*n$oa+ing ,our Consciousnes Consciousnesss
ou *ill one day @according to some scientistsB "e a"le to "ecome your o*n “g#ost in t#e mac#ine.% 6asically, a computer *it# all o) your in)ormation on it, as *ell *ell as arti'cial intelligence, *ould allo* you to “li$e% in t#e computer )or a t#ousand years or more. 5#e claim is made made "y scientist Ian :earson, :earson, and #e is de$eloping computer computer models as *e speak. -o "y 2?J?, i) you make it till t#en, you can #a$e your o*n o*n “silicone soul%. soul%. Hope)ully it!ll *ork *ork out "etter t#an t#e 6ruce WayneK6atman WayneK6atman model model s#o*n a"o$e. -ource
. uspen+e+ Animation
;ne o) t#e primary pro"lems *it# e$en(t#eoretical immortality immortality is t#at in$ulnera"ili in$ulnera"ility ty is not part o) t#e deal. 6ullets, kni$es, #and #and grenades, and "om"s all all still #a$e an e=ect. 5#ere are also some parts o) t#e *orld *#ere t#ose t#ings are considered to "e part o) e$eryday li)e. -tatisticall -tatistically, y, "attle'eld deat#s occur most o)ten *#en a medical team cannot get to t#e patient *it#in *it#in t#e 'rst #our. 5#is is re)erred to as t#e “golden “golden #our.% 5#e uestion "ecomes t#en, “*#at i) you could press t#e pause "utton3% 5#at is eactly t#e uestion t#at t#e De)ense &d$anced 0esearc# :roects &gency, and t#e 5eas & L Institute For :reclinical :reclinical -tudies, are *orking *orking on no*. 5#oug# t#e initial study is )ocused on suirrels suirrels,, t#e attempt is no* to put pigs to #i"ernated sleep. es, a “>om"ie pig% may one day #old t#e key to getting soldiers treatment during t#e
“golden #our%, #yper(sleep in transport to anot#er planet, and 0ip an Winkling your *ay to romancing yclopian mutants *#ile *orking )or *lanet +#press. -ource
1. /ho$e ea+ An+ /ho$e Bo+! %ransp$ants %ransp$ants
5#e "rain itsel) is *#at is kno*n as autoimmune. 5#is means t#at a #ost "ody *ould not actually reect reect a "rain t#e same *ay it *ould *ould reect, say, a li$er or or kidneys. 5#e c#allenge comes not in transplanting t#e "rain "ut, rat#er, in remo$ing and re( attac#ing t#e #ead. 5#is makes t#e pro"lem *it# #ead or “*#ole "ody% "ody% transplants t#e success)ul remo$al and attac#ment attac#ment.. & success)ul operation *ould also #a$e to attac# to t#e ner$ous system in suc# a *ay t#at t#e resulting patient is not a uadriplegi uadriplegic. c. Ho*e$er, t#e procedure procedure #as "een success)ully success)ully done *it# smaller smaller animals. In 2??1, Dr. 0o"ert W#ite transplanted transplanted t#e #ead o) a monkey onto anot#er anot#er "ody. For a time a)ter*ards, a)ter*ard s, t#e animal actually li$ed. Gi$en all o) t#e ad$anced, a scientist may one day scream at you, “It!s &/I8%, and r. 8"ert *ould "e kept at "ay once again. I) t#e "ody is going to continue to )ail, t#en t#e last resort *ould "e to keep getting a steady supply o) ne* "odies. "odies. We guess you!d need one a"out a"out e$ery sity years or or so. <ust try not end up in an o$erly em"arrassing situation situation like poor Fry Fry up up t#ere.
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