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Regular use of math and reading skills could prevent cognitive decline with age, according to a new Science Advances study.


Cognitive skills of the population such as literacy and numeracy are important not only for individual incomes but also for the economic growth of nations (26). As a result, the aging of world populations presents an economic concern if the commonly assumed declines of these skills with age hold.

We use longitudinal variation in individual literacy and numeracy skills for a representative adult sample to create age-skill profiles that credibly separate age from cohort effects. The pure age component that we derive provides a different perspective on the impacts of aging populations. Overall, our results are not consistent with a view that a natural law dictates an inevitable decline in these skills with age. Potential cognitive declines only occur at later ages and are not inevitable with usage of skills.

This is consolation for countries with aging populations, but avoidance of skill losses is not automatic and appears related to stimulation from skill usage. These results thus suggest that age-skill relationships of adults deserve policy attention, consistent with concerns about the necessity of lifelong learning.

Centenarians, once considered rare, have become commonplace. Indeed, they are the fastest-growing demographic group of the world’s population, with numbers roughly doubling every ten years since the 1970s.

How long humans can live, and what determines a long and healthy life, have been of interest for as long as we know. Plato and Aristotle discussed and wrote about the ageing process over 2,300 years ago.

The pursuit of understanding the secrets behind exceptional longevity isn’t easy, however.

“The Future of Human Evolution: AI, Genetic Engineering, and the Rise of Post-Human Civilization”

What happens when human evolution is no longer shaped by nature but by artificial intelligence and genetic engineering? This story explores the rise of AI-enhanced humans in a futuristic medieval world, where the fusion of bioengineering, AI consciousness, and neural implants creates a post-human era. As civilizations embrace transhumanism, traditional humanity faces extinction, replaced by a new species of synthetic life. Will this AI-driven society achieve ultimate enlightenment, or will it lose the essence of what makes us human?
The battle between future civilization, advanced technology, and those clinging to the past intensifies as digital immortality reshapes the meaning of existence. This cybernetic future forces us to question our identity—can genetic modification and AI singularity coexist with the soul of humanity? Witness the evolution of intelligence, the struggle between AI vs humanity, and the uncertain fate of a world where consciousness itself is no longer biological.

0:00 — Introduction: The Future of Human Evolution.
8:25 — AI & Genetic Engineering: Unlocking Human Potential.
16:50 — Ethical Dilemmas of Genetic Modification.
25:15 — The Rise of Engineered Intelligence.
33:40 — Genetic Enhancements & Social Stratification.
42:05 — AI in Education, Work, and Society.
50:30 — The Quest for Longevity & Immortality.
58:55 — Resistance Movements Against Enhancement.
1:07:20 — The First AI-Integrated Humans.
1:15:45 — The Breakdown of Traditional Humanity.
1:24:10 — Post-Human Civilizations & Digital Consciousness.
1:32:35 — The Divide Between Organic & Artificial Life.
1:41:00 — The Singularity & The End of Natural Evolution.
1:49:25 — What Comes After Humanity?

Sources.
Bostrom, N. (2014). Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies. Oxford University Press.
Harari, Y. N. (2017). Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow. Harper.
Kurzweil, R. (2005). The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology. Penguin.
Tegmark, M. (2017). Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Knopf.
Goertzel, B. (2020). Artificial General Intelligence: Concept, State of the Art, and Future Directions. Springer.

#FutureOfHumanity #AIandGenetics #PostHumanEra #ArtificialEvolution #CyberneticFuture.

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In this edition, we’ll take a look at a Canadian study which shows that reducing a worm’s ability to fight free radicals in a specific organ could increase it’s lifespan. Does this have any implications for humans?

Contents:

Intro 0:00
Graphical Abstract 1:49
Figure 1. Tissue-specific re-expression of sod-2 rescues deficits in fertility and embryonic lethality in clk-1;sod-2 mutants 2:28
Figure 2. Tissue-specific re-expression of sod-2 can decrease stress resistance in clk-1;sod-2 worms 5:37
Figure 3. Tissue-specific re-expression of sod-2 is not sufficient to reduce clk-1;sod-2 lifespan 6:41
Figure 4. Disruption of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase in the intestine is sufficient to increase lifespan 7:33
Figure 5. Intestine-specific knockdown of sod-2 is sufficient to enhance resistance to heat stress 9:33
Figure 6. Intestine-specific knockdown of sod-2 does not affect physiologic rates 10:29
Conclusion & Next Steps 11:40

Study reviewed:
Intestine-specific disruption of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase extends longevity.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0891584925000383

2009 paper from the same authors:
Deletion of the Mitochondrial Superoxide Dismutase sod-2 Extends Lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans.
https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.

General overview of the pros and cons of free radicals for lifespan:

Introducing a new weekly video series showcasing the latest impactful longevity related studies.

” +Study reviewed: Reducing functionally defective old HSCs alleviates aging-related phenotypes in old recipient mice.


A new weekly series showcasing the latest and most impactful longevity studies.

In this first edition, we’ll take a look at how a subset of blood stem cells from old mice can be used to rejuvenate the blood & immune systems of other old mice and increase their lifespans.

Study reviewed:

Reviewing a trial where young blood plasma was used during joint replacement surgery in older adults, reducing immune system related inflammation and speeding up recovery. This is one of the first human trials of young plasma after many positive results in mice.

Contents:

Intro 0:00
Study Overview 1:07
Proteomic Changes 1:45
Immune Response 3:07
Specific Immune Cell Changes 4:22
Patient Outcomes 6:09
Conclusion 7:44

Study reviewed:
Infusion of young donor plasma components in older patients modifies the immune and inflammatory response to surgical tissue injury: a randomized clinical trial.
https://translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10…45;06215-w.

If you liked this video, please consider supporting its creation via a donation to the Canadian Longevity Association, which will not only help create these videos, but also help our other advocacy and outreach efforts:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/donation-form/c47dd699-b5bd-4d28…26f77ddcf3

Or, order something from our new merchandise shop:

Kicking off the first Longevity Review of 2025 with a look at how exosomes can reverse cellular senescence and lengthen lifespan; how there is a subset of youthful stem cells in older animals which can increase lifespan; the most comprehensive study of life extending molescules in the roundworm; and, in the Canadian content study, how disrupting antioxidant defences in a single organ can extend longevity. https://youtu.be/uiEcPFH0EDk


Kicking off the new year with a lifespan special, we will take a look at reversing the senescence of senescent cells to increase mouse lifespan; the discovery and beneficial effects of a subset of youthful stem cells which can also increase mouse longevity; the most comprehensive study of life-extending molecules in the roundworm c.elegans ; and in the Canadian Content study, how disrupting the antioxidant defences in a specific organ in c.elegans can increase its lifespan.