Comments on: Jellyfish Evolves Immortality

By: blaaargh: Jellyfish Evolves ImmortalityResearchers have documented the first immortal animal, a jell « Andrea Allegrone's Painting Blog

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:24:18 +0000

[...] Jellyfish Evolves ImmortalityResearchers have documented the first immortal animal, a jellyfish species called Turritopsis nutricula. The species has been seen to reverse its aging and revert to its its earlier polyp stage, periodically restarting its lifecycle. The rejuvenation relies on transdifferation, the transformation of one mature (non-stem, or “differentiated”) cell type into another. All evidence suggests that Turritopsis can repeat this process indefinitely, meaning that it will never die as a consequence of aging, ever. Researchers suggested that studying the Turritopsis could lead to breakthroughs in reversing the human aging process. [...]

By: Craig D (seattle, WA)

Craig D (seattle, WA) — Thu, 26 May 2011 03:06:41 +0000

Before we all start embracing immortality, how about we first embrace global birth control; not just zero population growth as a goal, but negative population growth. The nations of this world would be “green” in a generation’s time if all the people that had two or more children simply limited themselves to one, or even none! Instead of philanthropic foundations spending billions of dollars to eradicate poverty and disease, we’d all be better off if they could convince people that now is the time to stop recklessly and unreasonably breeding. Seriously, this world is already being over-run by human reproduction, we don’t need to start adding immortality into the mix.

By: Jerin

Jerin — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 19:06:20 +0000

Now I know where to try and get a job when I get out of college. If we havn’t cracked it by then.

By: NoneyaBiss

NoneyaBiss — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 12:05:28 +0000

@T2 That is stupid. THat’s like saying the only reason to do something anyway is because we’re eventually gonna die. -_-

By: NoneyaBiss

NoneyaBiss — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 12:03:42 +0000

Eventually there will be life beyond this planet, and the world will always grow around you. Being immortal would bring ridiculous amounts of wisdom to the right people, and could essentially create Gods, I feel, if one were truly immortal. If tissue regenerated fast enough imagine the physical capabilities we would have if we worked towards it? It wouldn’t be for everyone, that’s for sure. Some would probably kill themselves before living on too long, I would imagine.

By: T2

T2 — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 22:48:16 +0000

I would have to agree with DF we can’t be immortal and even if we do become immortal what then my friends? Why should we do anything when we can always do it the next day? Life would lose its purpose because there would be no end to our life. Therefore we would have no drive to continue and our resources would vanish in the blink of an eye because no one would die .. However it would make an already overpopulated world more crowded and would essentially destroy the beauty of life. It would give man supreme dominance the conquerer of life. But sometimes we must concede and decide that we can’t live forever because it would destroy mankind’s society, structure, and beauty. For Gods’ sake we would become Gods because we would never die . Eventually we would become weary of the world and wish for the opportunity to die. People who are afraid to die are fools. Dying is nothing but another adventure it is not the end but a spiritual beginnning

By: The Baldchemist

The Baldchemist — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 15:04:52 +0000

Just by the way, we already have it with DNA and atom transfer through our sperm and eggs.

By: The Baldchemist

The Baldchemist — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 15:03:28 +0000

What about my inheritance? No one would inherit anything ever again. More consumption. More debt. More interest on money that doesn’t exist. More of the likes of GeorgeW BUsh? No thanks I’ll take my chances.

By: The Baldchemist

The Baldchemist — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 15:00:42 +0000

In a World with an ever increasing population, hardly any food, water shortages and a general apathy why on Earth would we want immortality?
Who is this for? The financially elite?

By: DF

DF — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 00:47:51 +0000

Since we are on the topic of immortality, I’d like to express why I would be against the idea. First of all, if we had this “resistance to aging”, if you will, it would make death that much worse. Think about it, right now, one way to cope with a loved one’s death is the general idea that everyone dies eventually. It’s a natural process. But if this technology were to go through, then death would no longer be something that everyone goes through. This means that if someone loses a friend or family member in a car accident, it would be infinitely harder to cope with. You have to live forever with the memory of your lost loved one. Sure, eventually you would get over it, but the initial grief would be terrible.

The other issue is simply the future of the human race and planet Earth. Let’s say, hypothetically, we manage to develop immortality, in the sense that we are resistant to death by “old age”. What will happen when the Earth is no longer hospitable? Would we be 100% reliant on developing the technology to colonize another planet? Surely overpopulation would eventually take over, and there will simply be no room left on this planet anyway.

I would hope that this technology can be used as a means of making our quality of life better, and giving us a longer lifespan, but the idea of immortality just doesn’t seem right to me.