<p>Russian scientists have been pressed to work on medical treatments and medicine that could help keep&nbsp;President Vladimir Putin and his coterie of leaders remain&nbsp;'ageless', a report in <em>DailyMail </em>has claimed.</p>

<p>The health ministry sent a letter in June to doctors and medical researchers, asking them about the latest developments in turning back the biological clock.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The biggest boss set a task, and officials rushed to implement it in every possible way," a medical researcher source was quoted as saying.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We were asked to urgently send all our developments, and the letter came, let's say today, and everything had to be sent yesterday."</p>

<p>The researchers are shocked at the demands from the Kremlin officials, as developing such medicine may require years and billions in capital. They have been told to submit 'development proposals' to reduce cell deterioration, according to reports.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Additionally, the researchers have been told to highlight new technologies preventing cognitive and sensory impairment, as well as methods for correcting the immune system.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We received this paper, and frankly, I was shocked.&nbsp;The message itself puzzled me. That is, right now [during the war] we have to drop everything. This cynicism is even perplexing."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-a-step-closer-to-anti-ageing-drugs-553964"><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: A step closer to anti-ageing drugs</strong></a></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-a-step-closer-to-anti-ageing-drugs-553964/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Putin is surrounded by ageing cronies such as&nbsp;speaker of the Russian senate, Valentina Matviyenko (75), Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (74),&nbsp;FSB security service chief Alexander Bortnikov (72) and SVR spy chief Sergey Naryshkin (69).</p>

<p>The Russian president won the elections last year which keeps him in power up until at least 2036 which means he will be well into his eighties by the time his term comes to an end. It is perhaps one of the reasons why he has asked the authorities to speed up the process,&nbsp;</p>

<p>Notably, Putin&nbsp;has long had an interest in developing a 'youth pill' but as he heads into his seventh decade on the planet, there seems to be a greater urgency on his part to seek 'longevity'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In 2016, then 64-year-old Putin visited&nbsp;the Biocad plant in St Petersburg which has been working on&nbsp;anti-ageing pills.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-discover-anti-ageing-formula-which-can-also-stop-cancer-741992"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Scientists discover anti-ageing formula which can also stop cancer</strong></a></p>

<p>Last year, reports emerged that Putin had suffered a heart attack. Although the Kremlin dismissed the news as a 'hoax', many speculated that Putin was not keeping well and Moscow was burying the news so that its leader would not appear weak on the global map.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Russian scientists have been pressed to work on medical treatments and medicine that could help keep President Vladimir Putin and his coterie of leaders remain 'ageless', a report in DailyMail has claimed.

Russian scientists have been pressed to work on medical treatments and medicine that could help keep President Vladimir Putin and his coterie of leaders remain 'ageless', a report in DailyMail has claimed. The health ministry sent a letter in June to doctors and medical researchers, asking them about the latest developments in turning back the biological clock. "The biggest boss set a task, and officials rushed to implement it in every possible way," a medical researcher source was quoted as saying. "We were asked to urgently send all our developments, and the letter came, let's say today, and everything had to be sent yesterday." The researchers are shocked at the demands from the Kremlin officials, as developing such medicine may require years and billions in capital. They have been told to submit 'development proposals' to reduce cell deterioration, according to reports. Additionally, the researchers have been told to highlight new technologies preventing cognitive and sensory impairment, as well as methods for correcting the immune system. "We received this paper, and frankly, I was shocked. The message itself puzzled me. That is, right now [during the war] we have to drop everything. This cynicism is even perplexing." Watch | Gravitas: A step closer to anti-ageing drugs × Putin is surrounded by ageing cronies such as speaker of the Russian senate, Valentina Matviyenko (75), Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (74), FSB security service chief Alexander Bortnikov (72) and SVR spy chief Sergey Naryshkin (69). The Russian president won the elections last year which keeps him in power up until at least 2036 which means he will be well into his eighties by the time his term comes to an end. It is perhaps one of the reasons why he has asked the authorities to speed up the process, Notably, Putin has long had an interest in developing a 'youth pill' but as he heads into his seventh decade on the planet, there seems to be a greater urgency on his part to seek 'longevity'. In 2016, then 64-year-old Putin visited the Biocad plant in St Petersburg which has been working on anti-ageing pills. Also read | Scientists discover anti-ageing formula which can also stop cancer Last year, reports emerged that Putin had suffered a heart attack. Although the Kremlin dismissed the news as a 'hoax', many speculated that Putin was not keeping well and Moscow was burying the news so that its leader would not appear weak on the global map. (With inputs from agencies)

Is Putin seeking immortality? Russian scientists ordered to develop cure for ageing

We know that humans have always been fascinated with space since childhood most of us dream of venturing beyond planet Earth into the world of celestial bodies so much so that people are now sending their DNA into space. A couple from Arizona will be sending- their DNA into space in the upcoming Enterprise a mission launched by Celestis. Celestis is a company that offers this unusual service called space burials. Take a look.

Celestis offers services for space burials, a non traditional farewell

<p>A mummy in the shape of a mermaid that is said to grant immortality to whoever tastes its flesh will be probed by Japanese scientists to trace its origin.</p>

<p>The bizarre 12-inch (30 centimetres) creature was allegedly caught in the Pacific Ocean, off the Japanese island of Shikoku, between 1736 and 1741.</p>

<p>It has now been preserved at a temple in Asakuchi city, Okayama prefecture in the southern part of Japan’s Honshu island.</p>

<p>The mummified object, which appears to have nails and teeth, hair on head and scales on its lower body, has been sent for a CT scan at the veterinary hospital of Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts.</p>

<p>Japan’s&nbsp;Asahi Shimbun newspaper said that mummy was found preserved in a box along with a note claiming the that it had been caught in a fishing net in the Pacific Ocean at some point between 1736 and 1741.</p>

<p>The “dried mermaid” was said to have been kept by a family and then passed to another before it was eventually acquired by a temple, which put it on display some four decades ago.</p>

<p>It is also being claimed that the object may have been produced as an item for export to Europe.</p>

<p>Hiroshi Kinoshita, of the Okayama Folklore Society, found the object while studying Kiyoaki Sato, a Japanese natural historian who researched mysterious creatures.</p>

<p>He said the creature could have religious significance.</p>

<p>“Japanese mermaids have a legend of immortality. It is said that if you eat the flesh of a mermaid, you will never die,” New York Post quoted Kinoshita as saying.</p>

<p>“There is a legend in many parts of Japan that a woman accidentally ate the flesh of a mermaid and lived for 800 years.”</p>

<p>He claimed that some people believed in the legend and used to eat the scales of mermaid mummies.”</p>

<p>The scientists who are examining the mummy will publish their findings later this year.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>


A mummy in the shape of a mermaid that is said to grant immortality to whoever tastes its flesh will be probed by Japanese scientists to trace its origin. The bizarre 12-inch (30 centimetres) creature was allegedly caught in the Pacific Ocean, off the Japanese island of Shikoku, between 1736 and 1741.

A mummy in the shape of a mermaid that is said to grant immortality to whoever tastes its flesh will be probed by Japanese scientists to trace its origin. The bizarre 12-inch (30 centimetres) creature was allegedly caught in the Pacific Ocean, off the Japanese island of Shikoku, between 1736 and 1741. It has now been preserved at a temple in Asakuchi city, Okayama prefecture in the southern part of Japan’s Honshu island. The mummified object, which appears to have nails and teeth, hair on head and scales on its lower body, has been sent for a CT scan at the veterinary hospital of Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts. Japan’s Asahi Shimbun newspaper said that mummy was found preserved in a box along with a note claiming the that it had been caught in a fishing net in the Pacific Ocean at some point between 1736 and 1741. The “dried mermaid” was said to have been kept by a family and then passed to another before it was eventually acquired by a temple, which put it on display some four decades ago. It is also being claimed that the object may have been produced as an item for export to Europe. Hiroshi Kinoshita, of the Okayama Folklore Society, found the object while studying Kiyoaki Sato, a Japanese natural historian who researched mysterious creatures. He said the creature could have religious significance. “Japanese mermaids have a legend of immortality. It is said that if you eat the flesh of a mermaid, you will never die,” New York Post quoted Kinoshita as saying. “There is a legend in many parts of Japan that a woman accidentally ate the flesh of a mermaid and lived for 800 years.” He claimed that some people believed in the legend and used to eat the scales of mermaid mummies.” The scientists who are examining the mummy will publish their findings later this year. (With inputs from agencies)

Japanese scientists to probe origins of mummified mermaid said to grant immortality

<p>Laurent Simons, a kid from the Belgian coastal town of Ostend, has just graduated from the University of Antwerp with a bachelor's degree in physics, making him the world's second-youngest graduate.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Eleven-year-old Simons only took a year to complete his bachelor’s degree, which usually takes at least three years.</p>

<p>In a conversation with the Dutch daily De Telegraaf, Simons said that, "I don't really care if I'm the youngest." "It's all about getting knowledge for me."</p>

<p>"This is the first puzzle piece in my goal of replacing body parts with mechanical parts," Simons said.</p>

<p>"Immortality" is his goal, the child prodigy said.<br />
<br />
"I want to be able to replace as many body parts as possible with mechanical parts.I’ve mapped out a path to get there. You can see it as a big puzzle. Quantum physics – the study of the smallest particles – is the first piece of the puzzle," he said.</p>

<p>To solve that puzzle, he said, "I want to work with the best professors in the world, look inside their brains, and find out how they think."</p>

<p>He completed his high school education in just 1.5 years and received his high school diploma at the age of eight.</p>

<p>Last year, he became interested in classical mechanics and quantum physics, and he quickly became obsessed with knowing everything he could about them.</p>

<p>He then placed all of his other projects on hold in order to focus only on this.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Laurent Simons, a kid from the Belgian coastal town of Ostend, has just graduated from the University of Antwerp with a bachelor's degree in physics, making him the world's second-youngest graduate.

Laurent Simons, a kid from the Belgian coastal town of Ostend, has just graduated from the University of Antwerp with a bachelor's degree in physics, making him the world's second-youngest graduate. Eleven-year-old Simons only took a year to complete his bachelor’s degree, which usually takes at least three years. In a conversation with the Dutch daily De Telegraaf, Simons said that, "I don't really care if I'm the youngest." "It's all about getting knowledge for me." "This is the first puzzle piece in my goal of replacing body parts with mechanical parts," Simons said. "Immortality" is his goal, the child prodigy said. "I want to be able to replace as many body parts as possible with mechanical parts.I’ve mapped out a path to get there. You can see it as a big puzzle. Quantum physics – the study of the smallest particles – is the first piece of the puzzle," he said. To solve that puzzle, he said, "I want to work with the best professors in the world, look inside their brains, and find out how they think." He completed his high school education in just 1.5 years and received his high school diploma at the age of eight. Last year, he became interested in classical mechanics and quantum physics, and he quickly became obsessed with knowing everything he could about them. He then placed all of his other projects on hold in order to focus only on this. (With inputs from agencies)

'Immortality is my goal': 11-year-old boy gets bachelor’s degree in physics

<p>What happens after we die? Is there life after death? Can a dead body be brought back to life?<br />
<br />
Religion has a set of standard answers to these questions.<br />
But scientifically what is the truth?<br />
<br />
A company in Russia is offering services to deep freeze the bodies of dead people, in the hope that one day, science would be able to revive them to live.<br />
<br />
When Alexei Voronenko's 70-year-old mother passed away, he decided not to cremate or bury her.<br />
<br />
Instead, he called up a Russian firm Kriorus, which offers a rather a curious service.<br />
<br />
Alexei wants to keep his 70-year-old dead mother's brain frozen!<br />
<br />
So that on some far off day in the future, when science has made enough advancement, she could be brought back to life!<br />
<br />
This means that the brain of Alexei's mother has been kept in deep freeze with a temperature of minus 196-degree celsius.<br />
<br />
The brain is floating in liquid nitrogen so that it suffers minimal deterioration.<br />
<br />
"I reached out to 'Kriorus' to carry out the necessary procedures to cryo-preserve my mother, even though she did not express such a desire in any way. I did it at my own risk. I did this because we were very close and I think it is the only chance to meet in the future," said Alexei Voronenkov.<br />
<br />
But is this even remotely possible? Can a dead person's brain be revived? Will a brain kept in deep freeze retain its memories?<br />
<br />
Science has little to say about the existence of souls.<br />
<br />
It is largely understood that individuals are a sum of their experienced memories.<br />
<br />
So can cryo-preserving bodies aid in bringing people back to life in the distant future?<br />
<br />
Valeriya Udalova is Kriorus's director, she talked about how technology is advancing with time, she said "It is what the whole of medicine is heading towards. Today we can resuscitate a drowned person. We were not able to do it before, we did not even try. We can reanimate people. I think that cryonics is some sort of reanimation of the future,".<br />
<br />
Kriorus offers its services at a very steep price.<br />
<br />
They ask for $36,000 to keep the entire body under liquid nitrogen and $15,000 just to have the brain preserved. Kriorus claims hundreds have signed up for its service so far 71 cadavers have been kept in deep freeze.<br />
<br />
But experts have rubbished this as pseudo-science.<br />
<br />
So far, there is no demonstrable evidence that when an individual dies, and her brain stops working, there is a way to revive it.<br />
<br />
So why should people do it?<br />
<br />
"What can we do for our dying relatives or the ones that we love? A nice funeral ceremony, a photo album. They (cryonics enthusiasts) cross this line, they go further, proving their love even more. They try to give (people) hope," added Valeriya Udalova.<br />
<br />
The desire to live forever is as old as time.<br />
<br />
The Egyptian pharaohs built the magnificent pyramids and had their mummified bodies preserved inside in the hope that their souls would one day return to find their bodies.<br />
<br />
Similar such embalmed bodies have been found across continents.<br />
<br />
So is cryo-preservation of our bodies just another of human endeavours to live after death?<br />
<br />
Or is it just a pseudo-science employed to make a quick buck?</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


What happens after we die? Is there life after death? Can a dead body be brought back to life? Religion has a set of standard answers to these questions. But scientifically what is the truth?

What happens after we die? Is there life after death? Can a dead body be brought back to life? Religion has a set of standard answers to these questions. But scientifically what is the truth? A company in Russia is offering services to deep freeze the bodies of dead people, in the hope that one day, science would be able to revive them to live. When Alexei Voronenko's 70-year-old mother passed away, he decided not to cremate or bury her. Instead, he called up a Russian firm Kriorus, which offers a rather a curious service. Alexei wants to keep his 70-year-old dead mother's brain frozen! So that on some far off day in the future, when science has made enough advancement, she could be brought back to life! This means that the brain of Alexei's mother has been kept in deep freeze with a temperature of minus 196-degree celsius. The brain is floating in liquid nitrogen so that it suffers minimal deterioration. "I reached out to 'Kriorus' to carry out the necessary procedures to cryo-preserve my mother, even though she did not express such a desire in any way. I did it at my own risk. I did this because we were very close and I think it is the only chance to meet in the future," said Alexei Voronenkov. But is this even remotely possible? Can a dead person's brain be revived? Will a brain kept in deep freeze retain its memories? Science has little to say about the existence of souls. It is largely understood that individuals are a sum of their experienced memories. So can cryo-preserving bodies aid in bringing people back to life in the distant future? Valeriya Udalova is Kriorus's director, she talked about how technology is advancing with time, she said "It is what the whole of medicine is heading towards. Today we can resuscitate a drowned person. We were not able to do it before, we did not even try. We can reanimate people. I think that cryonics is some sort of reanimation of the future,". Kriorus offers its services at a very steep price. They ask for $36,000 to keep the entire body under liquid nitrogen and $15,000 just to have the brain preserved. Kriorus claims hundreds have signed up for its service so far 71 cadavers have been kept in deep freeze. But experts have rubbished this as pseudo-science. So far, there is no demonstrable evidence that when an individual dies, and her brain stops working, there is a way to revive it. So why should people do it? "What can we do for our dying relatives or the ones that we love? A nice funeral ceremony, a photo album. They (cryonics enthusiasts) cross this line, they go further, proving their love even more. They try to give (people) hope," added Valeriya Udalova. The desire to live forever is as old as time. The Egyptian pharaohs built the magnificent pyramids and had their mummified bodies preserved inside in the hope that their souls would one day return to find their bodies. Similar such embalmed bodies have been found across continents. So is cryo-preservation of our bodies just another of human endeavours to live after death? Or is it just a pseudo-science employed to make a quick buck?

Cryo-preservation: Russian firm offers 'never-ending' life for modest fee

<p>The quest to discover the ultimate &lsquo;fountain of youth&rsquo; has more or less been an obsessive compulsive desire for humans. People have always wanted to live longer, rather immortalize the race. While some think of the idea as an extension of the&nbsp;desire to stay forever young, the powerful lot sees it as an opportunity to never yield their assumed power.</p>

<p>Technological advancements and progress in the pharmaceutical sector have already pushed the human life expectancy to as much as 90 years. Experts suggest that more and more people are living longer and the life expectancy rate is only going be pushed further.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison is known to have donated $370 million to aging research.&nbsp;</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison is known to have donated $370 million to aging research. " target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>But the bigwigs of the world are not interested in raising the bar of the average human life expectancy, they want to take their wealth and let scientists figure out if there can be any possibility to immortalize the race.</p>

<p>Various reports have confirmed Silicon Valley kingpins and Hollywood celebrities to have invested a bomb in anti-ageing research. A name that was likely to appear on the list of investors is Jeff Bezoz who is known for his ever-increasing fascination with space travel and the possibility of finding an alternative planet for humans.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/untitled%20design%20(31)-20170728063022.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>In June this year, Bezos tweeted that he was looking for ideas on how to share his wealth to help people. &nbsp; (Reuters)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Bezos, along with other tech elites like PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, is known to have invested in a startup called Unity Biotechnology that works in the field of anti-ageing. Bezos is known to have previously invested in Juno Therapeutics for cancer research. Thiel was reported to have given anti-aging researcher Aubrey de Grey $3.5 million to start a non-profit foundation focused on life-extending therapies. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison donated $370 million to an anti-aging research.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Bezos, along with other tech elites like PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel are known to have invested in a startup called Unity Biotechnology that works in the field of anti-ageing.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Bezos, along with other tech elites like PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel are known to have invested in a startup called Unity Biotechnology that works in the field of anti-ageing." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>Celebrities like Goldie Hawn and owners of tech giants like Google&rsquo;s Sergey Brin have been part of National Academy of Medicine&rsquo;s Grand Challenge in Health Longevity which aims to &lsquo;end aging forever&rsquo;. The Google co-owner has already invested close to a billion dollars in California Life Company (Calico), part of Google&rsquo;s Alphabet. Larry Page is believed to be one of the contributors in the founding of &#39;Calico&#39;.</p>

<p>Interestingly, Google has many of its senior level executives interested in pushing the boundaries of life expectancy other than co-founder Brin, some of them include names like Bill Maris, President and Managing Partner, Google Ventures and Arthur Levinson, investor and Chief executive, Calico who has invested close to $240 million in the initiative.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/markfb-20170925071225.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Only for presentation purpose. (Image source: Flickr) (Others)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Owner of social media giant Facebook Mark Zuckerberg also features on the list of elite investors in the pool of immortality. Zuckerberg and Sergey Brin co-sponsor the $33 million Breakthrough Prize for Life Sciences. The honour is awarded to scientists engaged in curing age-related diseases.<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
&quot;Our society needs more heroes who are scientists, researchers, and engineers,&quot; and &quot;we need to celebrate and reward the people who cure diseases, expand our understanding of humanity, and work to improve people&#39;s lives,&quot; Zuckerberg -- who constantly engages in the understanding of &ldquo;what could enable humans to live forever&rdquo;, wrote in a status update in 2013.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>&quot;It seems pretty egocentric while we still have malaria and TB for rich people to fund things so they can live longer,&quot; Bill Gates.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=It seems pretty egocentric while we still have malaria and TB for rich people to fund things so they can live longer, Bill Gates." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>Meanwhile, Bill Gates, the &lsquo;godfather&rsquo; of the new-age tech superpowers, doesn&rsquo;t quite seem to approve of the growing fascination with immortality. Quite recently he called his peers to be involved in &lsquo;egocentric&rsquo; pursuits chasing immortality to satisfy their vanity.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&quot;It seems pretty egocentric while we still have malaria and TB for rich people to fund things so they can live longer,&quot; Gates wrote in a reply to an online query during a Reddit session.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_mu01c-20170320031935.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Microsoft founder Bill Gates&#39; net worth is estimated to be 90.8 billion USD. (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p><strong>The future of immortality</strong></p>

<p>Gene therapy, genome mapping and cryonics are also becoming increasing popular with people to facilitate better understanding of the complexities of human body and study the pattern of human DNA to keep the body disease-free for the longest.</p>

<p>Cryogenic involves freezing of human bodies and preserving them for the time when science has advanced enough to thaw the frozen bodies, revive them and bring them back to life.</p>

<p>History is witness to the fact that man has never really failed to achieved what he first set out to achieve. Once landing on the moon was a distant dream, now astronauts stay in space for years and are also able to enjoy their favourite food up above. Lifestyle diseases like cancer may still not have a definite cause and an easy cure, but the possibilities of mankind achieving the same in the near future is not uncertain.</p>

<p>Life, death and mortality are often described as incomprehensible, inexplicable and elusive. While scientists and experts keep at untangling the complexities of human life and death, we can only hope for better outcomes in the offing.</p>

<p>Cheers to long life!</p>


Bezos, along with other tech elites like PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, is known to have invested in a startup called Unity Biotechnology that works in the field of anti-ageing

The quest to discover the ultimate ‘fountain of youth’ has more or less been an obsessive compulsive desire for humans. People have always wanted to live longer, rather immortalize the race. While some think of the idea as an extension of the desire to stay forever young, the powerful lot sees it as an opportunity to never yield their assumed power. Technological advancements and progress in the pharmaceutical sector have already pushed the human life expectancy to as much as 90 years. Experts suggest that more and more people are living longer and the life expectancy rate is only going be pushed further. Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison is known to have donated $370 million to aging research. × But the bigwigs of the world are not interested in raising the bar of the average human life expectancy, they want to take their wealth and let scientists figure out if there can be any possibility to immortalize the race. Various reports have confirmed Silicon Valley kingpins and Hollywood celebrities to have invested a bomb in anti-ageing research. A name that was likely to appear on the list of investors is Jeff Bezoz who is known for his ever-increasing fascination with space travel and the possibility of finding an alternative planet for humans. In June this year, Bezos tweeted that he was looking for ideas on how to share his wealth to help people. (Reuters) × Bezos, along with other tech elites like PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, is known to have invested in a startup called Unity Biotechnology that works in the field of anti-ageing. Bezos is known to have previously invested in Juno Therapeutics for cancer research. Thiel was reported to have given anti-aging researcher Aubrey de Grey $3.5 million to start a non-profit foundation focused on life-extending therapies. Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison donated $370 million to an anti-aging research. Bezos, along with other tech elites like PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel are known to have invested in a startup called Unity Biotechnology that works in the field of anti-ageing. × Celebrities like Goldie Hawn and owners of tech giants like Google’s Sergey Brin have been part of National Academy of Medicine’s Grand Challenge in Health Longevity which aims to ‘end aging forever’. The Google co-owner has already invested close to a billion dollars in California Life Company (Calico), part of Google’s Alphabet. Larry Page is believed to be one of the contributors in the founding of 'Calico'. Interestingly, Google has many of its senior level executives interested in pushing the boundaries of life expectancy other than co-founder Brin, some of them include names like Bill Maris, President and Managing Partner, Google Ventures and Arthur Levinson, investor and Chief executive, Calico who has invested close to $240 million in the initiative. Only for presentation purpose. (Image source: Flickr) (Others) × Owner of social media giant Facebook Mark Zuckerberg also features on the list of elite investors in the pool of immortality. Zuckerberg and Sergey Brin co-sponsor the $33 million Breakthrough Prize for Life Sciences. The honour is awarded to scientists engaged in curing age-related diseases. "Our society needs more heroes who are scientists, researchers, and engineers," and "we need to celebrate and reward the people who cure diseases, expand our understanding of humanity, and work to improve people's lives," Zuckerberg -- who constantly engages in the understanding of “what could enable humans to live forever”, wrote in a status update in 2013. "It seems pretty egocentric while we still have malaria and TB for rich people to fund things so they can live longer," Bill Gates. × Meanwhile, Bill Gates, the ‘godfather’ of the new-age tech superpowers, doesn’t quite seem to approve of the growing fascination with immortality. Quite recently he called his peers to be involved in ‘egocentric’ pursuits chasing immortality to satisfy their vanity. "It seems pretty egocentric while we still have malaria and TB for rich people to fund things so they can live longer," Gates wrote in a reply to an online query during a Reddit session. Microsoft founder Bill Gates' net worth is estimated to be 90.8 billion USD. (AFP) × The future of immortality Gene therapy, genome mapping and cryonics are also becoming increasing popular with people to facilitate better understanding of the complexities of human body and study the pattern of human DNA to keep the body disease-free for the longest. Cryogenic involves freezing of human bodies and preserving them for the time when science has advanced enough to thaw the frozen bodies, revive them and bring them back to life. History is witness to the fact that man has never really failed to achieved what he first set out to achieve. Once landing on the moon was a distant dream, now astronauts stay in space for years and are also able to enjoy their favourite food up above. Lifestyle diseases like cancer may still not have a definite cause and an easy cure, but the possibilities of mankind achieving the same in the near future is not uncertain. Life, death and mortality are often described as incomprehensible, inexplicable and elusive. While scientists and experts keep at untangling the complexities of human life and death, we can only hope for better outcomes in the offing. Cheers to long life!

Quest for immortality: Why Silicon Valley bigwigs are spending billions

immortality

Immortality, News on Immortality, stories on Immortality, articles on Immortality, Immortality stories at Wion, Immortality news, Immortality latest news