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Category: life extension – Page 238

Musing on living long enough to know.

Do aliens really exist? “It is virtually inconceivable to me that there isn’t intelligence somewhere in the universe,” says psychologist and astrobiologist Dr. Douglas Vakoch. “It’s just numbers.”

What happens if aliens send us a message? Learn more in this video from Life Noggin — https://youtu.be/P7afrpjnNCk.

Dr. Vakoch has spent his career carefully composing and transmitting messages to nearby stars in hopes of finally making contact with intelligent extraterrestrial life. As the president of METI International, an organization dedicated to messaging extraterrestrial intelligence, part of his job is to seek out the corners of the universe that could be home to planets that are within the “Goldilocks zone”: not too hot, not too cold, but just right to support life.

In 2017, astronomers announced that three planets in the planetary system of the star TRAPPIST-1 fit the bill. Now, Dr. Vakoch and his team of scientists are using the Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station to send a transmission to the area. The only problem? By the time a signal sent from TRAPPIST-1 could reach Earth, Dr. Vakoch will be long gone. In order to experience this for himself, he would have to live to 140 years old.

Continue reading “Messaging Aliens & Living Long Enough to Get A Response — Douglas Vakoch & METI” | >

It’s not quite the mythical fountain of youth but it is, perhaps, a start: Scientists have managed to engineer human skin cells to reverse 30 years of aging, resetting them to a much more youthful state in terms of certain molecular measurements.

While it’s very early days for the research – so we shouldn’t get carried away too quickly – the technique could play a major part in efforts to produce rejuvenative medicine that’s able to undo some of the damaging consequences of our bodies getting older.

What makes the research particularly notable is that the skin cells were reprogrammed to be biologically younger while still keeping some of the functionality that made them skin cells in the first place.

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A new supplement that stimulates a natural body process also promotes muscle recovery in humans. New research indicates that urolithin A can play an important role in improving muscles and prolonging activity – this is especially important as muscles decline with age, exposing us to the dangers of frailty.

Longevity. Technology sponsored content: As fast as we are unlocking the secrets of urolithin A we are also discovering obstacles. Urolithin A boosts mitochondrial and muscle function for sure, but it’s a metabolite, meaning it is made by the body from raw materials that we get from fruits, especially pomegranates; however, not everyone can make sufficient quantities of this antiaging molecule, and that’s where Mitopure steps in.

It seems to be universally accepted that the older we get, the more easily we get tired and the less energy we have – but perhaps it doesn’t have to be this way. The secret lies in our mitochondria, tiny organelles that pack a mighty punch when it comes to energy production. These minute powerhouses take oxygen and glucose and create a chemical called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and this is the energy our bodies use for movement, growth and repair.

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Not a solution, but a positive and interesting step. 2 mins.

Researchers have rejuvenated a 53-year-old woman’s skin cells so they are the equivalent of a 23-year-old’s.

Scientists in Cambridge believe that they can do the same thing with other tissues in the body which could lead to treatments for age-related diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and neurological disorders.

The technology is built on the techniques used to create Dolly the cloned sheep more than 25 years ago.

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Continue reading “Science rejuvenates woman’s skin cells to 30 years younger — BBC News” | >

The researchers looked at multiple measures of cellular age. First, they used the epigenetic clock, where chemical tags throughout the genome indicate age. Secondly, they looked at the transcriptome, all the gene readouts produced by the cell. By these two measures, the reprogrammed cells matched the profile of cells that were 30 years younger, compared to reference data sets. In other words, cells from a woman of 53 now appeared like those of a woman aged 23.

The potential applications of this technique are dependent on cells not only appearing younger, but functioning like young cells too. Fibroblasts produce collagen – a molecule found in bones, skin tendons, and ligaments, helping provide structure to tissues and heal wounds. In this study, the rejuvenated fibroblasts produced more collagen proteins compared to control cells that did not undergo the reprogramming process. Fibroblasts also move into areas that need repairing. Researchers tested the partially rejuvenated cells by creating an artificial cut in a layer of cells in a dish, seen in the video below. The treated fibroblasts moved into the gap faster than older cells. This is a promising sign that one day this research could eventually be used to create cells that are better at healing wounds.

In the future, this research may also open up other therapeutic possibilities; the researchers observed that their method also influenced other genes linked to age-related diseases and symptoms. The APBA2 gene – associated with Alzheimer’s, and the MAF gene with a role in the development of cataracts – both showed changes towards youthful levels of transcription.

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