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Is it possible to live forever? How much would immortality cost? Is cell rejuvenation the answer?
A growing number of billionaire entrepreneurs are investing in research to try to increase the human lifespan, some even aiming for immortality. The initiatives involve medical research, biohacking routines, and attempts to create robotic avatars into which human consciousness can be transferred.
Here’s a look at cell rejuvenation research, along with some alternative lifespan-extending options.
Is Immortality Possible?
What good is it to have enough money to last several lifetimes, when you only have one lifetime to enjoy it? Some of the world’s wealthiest entrepreneurs are on a quest for the proverbial fountain of youth—but is it a fool’s errand?
Here we’ll explain how some billionaires are engaged in the pursuit of longevity, and even immortality, by funding medical research, exploring technologies that could expand our lifespans—possibly indefinitely—and doing their own personal “biohacking” regimens.
Cell Rejuvenation
Some billionaires are investing enormous amounts of money into research aimed at understanding and combating the biological processes of aging. These investments could lead to breakthroughs in medical technology that allow people to live longer and healthier lives.
Jeff Bezos and Russian-born billionaire Yuri Milner are both reported to have invested in biotechnology company Altos Labs. Founded in 2022, Altos is pursuing cell rejuvenation techniques that they hope will be able to reverse disease by reprogramming cells and tissues. Among the scientists working for Altos is Spanish biochemist Juan Carlos Izpisúa Belmonte, who is credited with creating the first embryo containing both human and monkey cells in 2019. Belmonte says embryonic stem cell research like this can help scientists understand the mechanisms underlying disease and to create human tissues for organ transplant.
Technological Solutions
Rather than funding medical research, some investors are looking at more innovative—and perhaps less realistic—ways we might preserve human life beyond the normal lifespan. Russian billionaire Dmitry Itskov is the founder of the 2045 Initiative, an organization dedicated to developing technologies that can potentially extend human life indefinitely. Itskov’s ultimate goal is to create a new form of human existence, which he calls “digital immortality,” by transferring human consciousness into a non-biological avatar.
Founded in 2011, Itskov’s 2024 Initiative was projected to have developed a robotic copy of a human body capable of hosting a transplanted human brain by 2025. Since nothing close to this has yet been developed, it’s unlikely the end goal of a “neo-humanity” running around in robot bodies will be achieved by 2045.
Biohacking Solutions
On the most realistic end of the spectrum of longevity ambitions, some wealthy individuals are embarking on their own personal “biohacking” endeavors.
Bryan Johnson, a 45-year-old entrepreneur, announced his initiative Project Blueprint in which he aims to reverse his own aging process and restore his body to that of an 18-year-old. Johnson’s project involves a strict regimen around diet, exercise, skin care, and supplementation, and constant tracking of all of his health metrics through hundreds of medical tests per year. His data shows that he was able to reverse his epigenetic age by about five years in just seven months, which he claims is a world record.
Although Johnson’s protocol is reported to cost him about $2 million annually, making it inaccessible to the general public.
What Could Go Wrong?
Like any fad that tries to sell shortcuts, these efforts may result in wasted time and money at best. But worse, there are risks of unforeseen health complications. For example, medical researchers have reported that some of their attempts at cellular reprogramming have killed the mice rather than making them live longer.
Another potential risk is public backlash if these new treatments and technologies are made available only to the wealthy. Retro Biosciences initially resisted revealing that they were funded by Sam Altman because of concern that they’d be viewed as a billionaire’s “vanity project.” CEO Joe Betts-LaCroix emphasizes that they intend to search for treatments that could be widely usable, for example development of a drug that could mimic the effects of blood replacement.
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