For the love of gold

[mooncliff]

Truly one of the masterpieces of The Twilight Zone.

If you have not seen it, The Rip Van Winkle Caper is really worth watching.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DccS7qWi2e0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFeGr...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrEgO...eature=related


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rip_Van_Winkle_Caper

As a side note, a gas that produces suspended animation actually exists. It is hydrogen sulfide. You may one day actually be put under for several hours using hydrogen sulfide, technically be dead, and then be revived.
http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/...ion/index.html

Rod Serling wrote this in 1961. Sometimes the imagination of those writers is just astonishing. It is too bad that many of them are no longer around to see the wonderful, astonishing world in which we live. Humans can see to the end of the Universe and the beginning of Time. We are about to discover extraterrestrial life. Our computational ability is revolutionizing medicine. I wouldn't be surprised if many people I know live to 130 or more in very good vibrant health. A good context to keep in mind over the next few very difficult years.

[thriftyandboringinohio]

Re: For the love of gold

I wouldn't be surprised if many people I know live to 130 or more in very good vibrant health. A good context to keep in mind over the next few very difficult years.

Sounds like Ray Kurzweil's prediction in his singularity theary.

[mooncliff]

Re: For the love of gold

Yes, life expectancy is continuing to increase by 6 hours per day, about 2 to 3 years per decade. Some of my relatives are already living into their 90s in perfectly good health with no major surgery so far. Some of my cousins' kids are in high school, so I do not think it is unreasonable to expect them to live far beyond 100.

My point is that while everyone is worked up over the really difficult decade we are going to have, I want everyone to keep in mind that it is also very likely that many unbelievably good things are coming. Being free of most diseases with a long life free of disability would be more valuable than anything I can possibly think of. Assuming nothing catastrophic happens, 2020 should be totally amazing, with individually tailored medical treatments routine. I expect a sudden jump in life expectancy of several years around 2015 when the individually tailored treatments start. Our cells know what to do. They could completely regenerate our bodies they way they were when we were 30 years old or so. The cells just need to be signaled properly. We are rapidly learning how to control the signaling.