Lifeboat Foundation

What does the future hold? What will become of this planet and its inhabitants in the centuries to come?
We are living in a historical period that sometimes feels like the prelude to something truly remarkable or terribly dire about to unfold.
This captivating video seeks to decipher the signs and attempt to construct plausible scenarios from the nearly nothing we hold in our hands today.
As always, it will be scientific discoveries leading the dance of change, while philosophers, writers, politicians, and all the others will have the seemingly trivial task of containing, describing, and guiding.
Before embarking on our journey through time, let me state the obvious: No one knows the future!
Numerous micro and macro factors could alter this trajectory—world wars, pandemics, unimaginable social shifts, or climate disasters.
Nevertheless, we’re setting off. And we’re doing so by discussing the remaining decades of the century we’re experiencing right now.

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DISCUSSIONS \& SOCIAL MEDIA

Continue reading “From Today To The Year 3000: Let’s Dive Into The Future!” »

The brain undergoes dynamic functional changes with age1,2,3.

Analyses of neuroimaging datasets from 5,306 participants across 15 countries found generally larger brain-age gaps in Latin American compared with non-Latin American populations, which were influenced by disparities in socioeconomic and health-related factors.

Note: This post is co-authored with Stacy Li, a PhD student at Berkeley studying aging biology! Highly appreciate all her help in writing, editing, and fact-checking my understanding!

Proposed lunar biorepository could store genetic samples without electricity or liquid nitrogen. New research led by scientists at the Smithsonian proposes a plan to safeguard Earth’s imperiled biodiversity by cryogenically preserving biological material on the moon. The moon’s permanently shadowed craters are cold enough for cryogenic preservation without the need for electricity or liquid nitrogen, according to the researchers.

The paper, published today in BioScience and written in collaboration with researchers from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI), Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum and others, outlines a roadmap to create a lunar biorepository, including ideas for governance, the types of biological material to be stored and a plan for experiments to understand and address challenges such as radiation and microgravity. The study also demonstrates the successful cryopreservation of skin samples from a fish, which are now stored at the National Museum of Natural History.

“Initially, a lunar biorepository would target the most at-risk species on Earth today, but our ultimate goal would be to cryopreserve most species on Earth,” said Mary Hagedorn, a research cryobiologist at NZCBI and lead author of the paper. “We hope that by sharing our vision, our group can find additional partners to expand the conversation, discuss threats and opportunities and conduct the necessary research and testing to make this biorepository a reality.”

M any prominent people in the tech industry have talked about the increasing convergence between humans and machines in coming decades. For example, Elon Musk has reportedly said he wants humans to merge with AI “to achieve a symbiosis with artificial intelligence”

His company Neuralink aims to facilitate this convergence so that humans won’t be “left behind” as technology advances in the future. While people with disabilities would be near-term recipients of these innovations, some believe technologies like this could be used to enhance abilities in everyone.

These aims are inspired by an idea called transhumanism, the belief that we should use science and technology to radically enhance human capabilities and seek to direct our own evolutionary path. Disease, aging and death are all realities transhumanists wish to end, alongside dramatically increasing our cognitive, emotional and physical capacities.

What if our lifespan could be extended beyond its natural limits? Recently, scientists have made a significant leap towards this very real possibility with the discovery and study of an important longevity gene.

This gene has shown promise in promoting cellular repair and reducing the effects of aging, generating excitement in the scientific community about new methods for extending healthy lives, not just longer lives.

As we learn more about the mechanisms behind this particular longevity gene, we may soon uncover new strategies that could revolutionize how we approach human aging and lifespan, ultimately changing the way we live.

University of Queensland researchers have discovered a mechanism in DNA that regulates how disease-causing mutations are inherited.

Dr Anne Hahn and Associate Professor Steven Zuryn from UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute said the findings could provide a promising therapeutic avenue to stop the onset of heritable and age-related diseases.

“Mitochondrial DNA is essential for cell function,” Dr Hahn said.

For generations, humans have tried to find the elixir which can extend their lives beyond their natural limit and deceive death.

Now, scientists have made a discovery of a gene which has brought humanity very close to this impossible target of achieving longevity.

The gene has been found to possess the capability of promoting cellular repair and reducing the effects of ageing. This discovery has taken the scientific community close to finding methods for extending not just long but healthy lives.

Summary: New research in mice reveals that aging slows the brain’s ability to clear out harmful waste, contributing to neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Scientists have found that restoring function in the brain’s waste-clearing system, known as the glymphatic system, can reverse these age-related effects.

Using a clinically approved drug, researchers increased the efficiency of waste removal, offering a potential treatment strategy for age-related brain diseases.