Modern technology on immortality

[NightShift]

I thought of some ideas in which we can achieve immortality in an individual with modern technology. I want to know what you think of mine and please add some of your ideas as well! They can be near impossible, but anything is better than nothing. Sorry, but this is all I could think of with my uneducated mind.

1. We can use stem cells to replicate a more younger clone of the aging body. The DNA that the stem cells use will be from cells that the person donated at the age in which he wants his new body to be in. We shall then remove the brain out of the new body and replace it with the old brain. The old brain will be meticulously connected to the correct nerves of the new body.

2. We can program nanobots to replace the telomeres of your ever replicating DNA. Let's hope the nanobots are fast enough to in put telomeres on the ends of new DNA during every cell division to ensure perfect division. Otherwise, we might not be able to handle so many nanobots in our bodies.

3. Cancer cells are known to contain a protein that rebuild strands of chromosomes that keep the cell alive longer. We can extract the part of the cancer cell's DNA that creates that protein and bind it to our cells. However, the extent to which it rebuilds is oblivious to me.

- My post before was completely deleted because I ran out of time during my log in :grumpy:

 

[jreelawg]

...We shall then remove the brain out of the new body and replace it with the old brain. The old brain will be meticulously connected to the correct nerves of the new body.
:grumpy:

How will you not die, or how will you be brought back to life when this happens? And, how will you make the brain immortal?

 

[TubbaBlubba]

How will you not die, or how will you be brought back to life when this happens?

Hm, well, if you sufficiently cool the brain (15 C or so should be sufficient, I think) the metabolic processes destroying it (mainly anaerobic oxidization) wouldn't happen very quickly.

 

[pvas]

Queue the eerie music in the background ...

 

[jreelawg]

How about this idea?

Instead of keeping your old brain, you just copy your memories.

Your new body and brain will be interfaced with a computer, which you can then use to access your old memories stored on a memory chip.

This way, you don't diminish the capacity of your new brain. You'll have a fresh untapped brain from which to experience life, while still maintaing your sense of self, hopefully.

This way, you will also have extra capacity/capability of dealing with thousands or millions of years worth of experiences.

 

[NightShift]

Instead of keeping your old brain, you just copy your memories.

Your new body and brain will be interfaced with a computer, which you can then use to access your old memories stored on a memory chip.

However, this new brain will have the memories and neural connections of whichever age brain you chose. Supposing it was your 18 year old brain, or 21 year old brain, this chip will cause conflict as you begin to remember those experiences but you never benefited from them. What you would end up is with memories of another man's life. I think for a computer chip, it would have to reprogram the 18 year old brain into the latest connections of your previous life. Not sure if it would be too much stress though...but this technology probably isn't around this time of age...or is it?

 

[pallidin]

Speculating, you have to shut-off cell death, or, provide for immortal cell replacement.
The latter is more appealing, as aging cells tend to develop problems.
Biological immortality is an interesting but very complex issue, especially when involving "higher" organisms.

An interesting read can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_immortality

Hydra and some jellyfish are "considered" by some to be biologically immortal.

 

[Animastryfe]

When you say 'modern technology', do you mean technology that is available now?

 

[NightShift]

When you say 'modern technology', do you mean technology that is available now?

Yes

And yes, I've read about such jellyfish. I should keep one as a family pet and see how many generations it lasts. haha

 

[nismaratwork]

Putting aside the current impossibility of these procedures, I think it's fair to ask: is a copy of your brain, from the structural to the quantum still YOU, and is it possible? This seems to be a bit of "Altered Carbon" (fun trilogy) than it is reality. Besides, how do you survive an accident?

Oh, and to the person who suggested freezing, I suggest you flash-freeze a steak, then watch it defrost. Freezing is quite destructive in the absence of a good antifreeze for the water in cells, and there are none that work for humans without killing us.

 

[Animastryfe]

Putting aside the current impossibility of these procedures, I think it's fair to ask: is a copy of your brain, from the structural to the quantum still YOU, and is it possible? This seems to be a bit of "Altered Carbon" (fun trilogy) than it is reality.

I consider it not 'me', which is why I'm usually dissatisfied with descriptions of, say, uploading to a computer as immortality.

@OP: None of the three methods are possible right now. They may be possible in the next few centuries, but bear in mind that it's extremely difficult to impossible to predict science and technology a few decades into the future.

 

[leroyjenkens]

I was thinking at work yesterday about using modern technology to have a woman give birth to her own mother. I think it's possible.

 

[ThomasEdison]

I was thinking at work yesterday about using modern technology to have a woman give birth to her own mother. I think it's possible.

I couldn't help it.
"I'm my own grandpa"

 

[nismaratwork]

I couldn't help it.
"I'm my own grandpa"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roswell_That_Ends_Well