Category Archives: Aging reversal research

News of The Future This Week: March 4, 2019

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“Nothing is more responsible for the good old days than a bad memory.”–Franklin Pierce Adams

Is artificial human memory possible?  Today’s lead story deals exactly with that possibility–and it links rather directly to a question I have about the quest to end, and even reverse, human aging.  If we live indefinitely, will we need some sort of artificial enhancement in order to hold decades or evern centuries of additional memories?  When you reach a certain age, after all,  it’s hard enough to remember what you had for breakfast.

While you’re reading about all this week’s future-related  news, don’t forget that you can subscribe to Seeking Delphi™ podcasts on iTunes, PlayerFM, or YouTube (audio with slide show) and you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

 Neuromorphic Computing/Memory–Researchers at UCLA claim they have created a neuromorphic “brain” out of synthetic nanowires.   They say it exhibits behavior similar to human memory.

Image: undoing-aging.org Click for link.

 Aging Research/Rejuvenation–Aubrey de Grey has become much more upbeat about the progress being made toward reversing human aging.  He now thinks robust human longevity extension could be here by 2037.  You can here his preview of the 2019 Undoing Aging conference (Berlin, Germany March 28-30) on the Seeking Delphi podcast here.   The YouTube slide show version of the interview is embedded at the bottom of this page.

Houston, the Dragon has landed. Image: NASA

NASA/Space Launch/Space Commerce–SpaceX successfully tested an unmanned launch of the first private passenger vehicle, reaching the International Space Station late last week.  If all goes well, the first manned mission will bring astronauts there later this year.  It would be the first manned U.S. space launch since the space shuttle was retired a decade ago.

—NASA intends to test a nuclear powered rocket by 2024, per it’s 2019 budget.  Other advance propulsion systems are also in the works.

CRISPR/Biotech–Switzerland-based CRISPR therapeutics has become the first non-Chinese entity to use CRISPR genetic editing to treat a human medical condition.  The procedure was done in attempt to correct a genetic blood disorder.  Previously, Chinese researchers have used CRISPR to treat cancer.

—A Chinese research group claims to have given a mouse night vision by a simple injection of nano particles into the animal’s eyes.  They say the effect has minimal side effects and lasts for up to ten weeks.

Breakthrough technologies—MIT has issued it’s annaul list of the top ten breakthrough technologies.  Custom cancer vaccines, a wearable ECG, and laboratory-grown meat are notable inclusions.

Wearables/Fitness–A university research team in Singapore says they have developed self-charging, fitness tracking socks.  The socks could also be used to power other wearables.

YouTube slide show of  the 2019 Undoing Aging preview podcast with Aubrey de Grey

Seeking Delphi™ podcasts are available on iTunes, PlayerFM, or YouTube (audio with slide show) and you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook 

News of The Future This Week: February 8, 2019

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“A finite world can support only a finite population; therefore, population growth must eventually equal zero.”– Garrett Hardin

 

We’ve been there before.   Gloom and doom predictions of explosive population growth.  And while estimates have been greatly toned down from those from the 1960’s and 1970’s, there are still dire warnings out there.  But what if there is an extreme alternative veiw to Garrett Hardin’s tragedy of the commons?  A radical new proposal is out, and depending on your point of view, the reason for it may or may not surprise you.

While you’re reading about all this week’s future-related  news, don’t forget that you can subscribe to Seeking Delphi™ podcasts on iTunes, PlayerFM, or YouTube (audio with slide show) and you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Future Demographics–A new book takes issue with UN projections of massive population growth in the coming decades.  According to Canadian journalist John Ibbitson and political scientist Darrell Bricker  in their new book, Empty Planet, world population will stabilize and start to decline in 30 years.  They also say that once the decline starts, it won’t stop.  Seems to me they are substituting one linear scenario for another, though.  If things shift once, they can shift again.

Future Driving/Autonomous Vehicles–With all the hype, you’d think our streets will be bustling with self-driving cars within the next couple of years–if not a few months.  Not so fast, says Tom Krisher, writing for the Associated Press.   He cites five sticking points, not the least of which is consumer acceptance.

–If the above isn’t discouraging enough, a University of California professor has a warning.  Self-driving cars might actually make traffic worse, rather than better, if they are not managed properly.

Artists conception of a generation starship next to a Saturn V rocket. Credit: Adrian Mann

Space exploration/colonization–How big would a generation starship need to be to support human survival for hundreds or even thousands of years?   Hint:  according to a new study reported on by Universe Today, it would make the Saturn V that launched astronauts to the moon look like a Mini Cooper.

–Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk keep up their relentless charge toward the final frontier.  Musk’s ambitious plan to send space tourists around the moon by 2023 was also reported on by Universe Today,  while Space.Com focused on Bezos’s vision for reusable spacecraft.

Biotechnology–CRISPR genetic editing may have come a step closer to becoming the reliable “DNA word processor” it has been hyped to be.  Researchers at  UC Berkeley–one of the pioneering institutions in CRISPR–have identified a new protein that may render the technique safe enough for human experimentation.

–While not initially focused on radical rejuvenation therapy, a $100 million Longevity Vision Fund has been launched to spur aging research.  The enterprise is the brainchild of Sergey Young, who in turn cites the inspiration of Peter Diamandis.  Look for more on the related subject from next month’s Undoing Aging conference in Berlin, Germany.

Coming next to the Seeking Delphi™ podcast–Your Personal Future, with Verne Wheelright and a preview of the 2019 Undoing Aging conference with Aubrey de Grey.

Seeking Delphi™ podcasts are available on iTunes, PlayerFM, or YouTube (audio with slide show) and you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook 

News of The Future This Week: October 4, 2018

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“To me–old age is always ten years older than I am.”–Bernard Baruch

“Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.”–Mark Twain

Ah, yes.  I have attained the age at which I truly appreciate the comments of monsiuers Baruch and Twain.  And I really appreciate the efforts of those who aim to keep senescence–and dentures–indefinitely in the future.

  • While you’re reading about all this week’s future-related  news, don’t forget that you can subscribe to Seeking Delphi™ podcasts on iTunes, PlayerFM, or YouTube (audio with slide show) and you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Anti-aging/rejuvenation–Researchers at the University of Minnesota claim to have discovered a compound that slows aging.  Well, at least in mice it does.

—Several new videos have been posted from last month’s Translating Aging Research conference sponsored by the Life Extension Advocacy Foundation.  Aubrey de Grey (Seeking Delphi™ podcast #19) was one of the speakers.  His talk is linked below.

Artists conception: Lockheed lunar lander

Space/space commerce/NASA–Lockheed Martin has unveiled it’s proposed design for NASA’s next lunar lander.  It is huge–truly the Hummer of space vehicles.

–Any chance we’ll see a space elevator in the future?  Next Big Future says no time soon–if ever.

—Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos says his Blue Origin space venture is the most important work he is doing.  The reason?  We need to l lower the cost of launches to mine resources in space, and to lower the barrier of entry for space commerce entrepreneurship.

Future Transport—Hyperloop Transportation Technologies has unveiled the proposed design for its first passenger capsule.  They hope to have it ready by sometime next year, and eventually to transport passengers at up to 750mph.

—Ford issued an industry-wide call to all those enterprises now developing self-driving automotive technology: the vehicles need to talk to each other.  To that end, they advocate an developing a standard communication language to share intent.

The future of construction?

Robotics–Are drywall installers the next workers to be replaced by automation?  If this video is to be believed, the answer is yes.

Seeking Delphi™ podcasts are available on iTunes, PlayerFM, or YouTube (audio with slide show) and you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook 

News of The Future This Week: September 17, 2018

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This weeks’s post was delayed pending the revelation of the identity of SpaceX’s first lunar orbit space tourist.  See below.

“”The moon is a friend for the lonesome to talk to.”–Carl Sandberg

 

If you circled the moon–alone–you’d probably wind up talking to it. And tonight we found out who Elon Musk plans to send around the moon as the first SpaceX lunar tourist.  Undoubtedly, everbody will want a piece of him.

While you’re reading about all this week’s future-related  news, don’t forget that you can subscribe to Seeking Delphi™ podcasts on iTunes, PlayerFM, or YouTube (audio with slide show) and you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook 

Artisit’s conception; spaceX BFR lunar vehicle

 Space–Elon Musk’s SpaceX made the big annoucement tonight.  In a live streamed event he revealed the identity of the first space tourist to orbit the moon, launched by its BFR rocket.   He is Japanese billionaire Yasaku Maezawa.  Launch is projected for 2023.

—India revealed its first design for space suits.  They may not win any visual design awards, but hopefully they’ll keep their astronauts safe, starting in 2022.

Not exactly for a stroll in the park

Neural Networks/future of computing–An interdiscipinary group of researchers including biologists and computer scientists at Lehigh University have obtained a grant from the National Science Foundation to grow a computer made out of living cells.  Your next CPU could, quite literally, be grown in a Petri dish.

Anti-aging/rejuvenation–In Seeking Delphi™ podcast epidose #19,  Aubrey de Grey lamented that no significant progress had been made toward achieving what he calls “robust mouse rejuvenation.”  That would be the ability to significantly extend, perhaps to double or more, the life expectancy of a mouse, starting interventions well into it’s lifetime  That was back in December of last year.   Now, 9 months later, Harvard scientist George Church says he has done it–his Rejuvenate Bio has doubled the lifespan of a mouse.

Don’t ask what it will cost. He’s not saying, yet.

Hyperloop/The Boring Company–Elon Musk wants to marry the services of two of  his compnies for the benefit of your immediate transportation convenience.  He wants to dig a tunnel directly from a  garage to provide hyperloop access.

Mobile Communication–Call management and protection company First Orion says that by next year nearly half of all U.S. cellphone calls will be scams.  You could have fooled me; I thought we’d already passed that.

Health trackers–MIT has developed a health sensor system that can track you around the house, even through walls.  The device resembles a wi-fi router and uses radio signals and machine learning.

Seeking Delphi™ podcasts are available on iTunes, PlayerFM, or YouTube (audio with slide show) and you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook 

News of The Future This Week: September 9, 2018

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“A.I. doesn’t trust us, either.”–Rana el Kaliouby, CEO, Affectiva

 

Get ready for all A.I., all the time.  It’s the lion’s share of the news this week.  After all, Rana el Kaliouby says, among other things, that it should ultimately be pervasive.  In this week’s tech press, it pretty much is.  I did throw in a space story, if only for accent–and maybe to appease those who’ve had enough of machine intelligence.

While you’re reading about all this week’s future-related  news, don’t forget that you can subscribe to Seeking Delphi™ podcasts on iTunes, PlayerFM, or YouTube (audio with slide show) and you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook 

Artificial Intelligence–The second Affectiva Emotion AI Summit, held this week in Boston, focused on the theme Trust in AI. And it featured Rana el Kaliouby’s bold assertion that appears at the top of this page. (Link to video highlights of last year’s summit available at the bottom of the page).

—Kai-Fu Lee, former president of Google China, had some words of warning for the U.S.  He says that China will overtake America in A.I. within five years.

—Almost on cue, Peter Diamandis published a review of Lee’s new book, A.I. Superpowers.  It outlines what Lee defines as four distinct waves of A.I., and what it means to control each of them.

–A tech story with Elon Musk? No way!  Mr. Impossible said this week that his Neuralink company will “soon” announce a product that will link your mind directly to a computer; he believes this link will be necessary to maintaining control of  A.I.  There is a reason soon is in quotes.

–Residents of Norfolk, England, may be a bit nervous about the prospects of local police catching anyone who burglarizes their home.  It seems the local bobbies are using an algorithm to determine if they should even bother to investigate.

–One area where A.I. could really prove to be a boon is in drug development.  Anything that could cut into soaring pharmaceutical R&D costs would be welcome, as the Diamandis Tech Blog reports

Artisits conception: reusable space plane.

Space commerce–Hot on the heals of a Japanese university and a construction company announcing a partnership to begin space elevator experiments, another Japanese firm has announced a traget of 2023 for the launch of a reusable space plane.

 

 

 

Highlight video from the first Emotion AI Summit, September 13, 2017

Seeking Delphi™ podcasts are available on iTunes, PlayerFM, or YouTube (audio with slide show) and you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook 

News of The Future This Week: July 15, 2018

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“I believe we are on the dawn of a new era in commercial space exploration.”–Elon Musk

 

Yeah, well, ol’ Elon would say that.  His SpaceX venture is heavily invested and involved, both with NASA and other space faring concerns, and is somewhere between trying to colonize Mars long term and actually turning a profit, near term.  But in the final analysis, what they seem to be locked into is a race with Boeing to launch the first commercial manned space vehicle, and thus  get back to where NASA was over 50 years ago.

While you’re reading about all this week’s future-related  news, don’t forget that you can subscribe to Seeking Delphi™ podcasts on iTunes, PlayerFM, or YouTube (audio with slide show) and you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook 

 Space Commerce–Despite all the bravado, Elon Musk may not be winning the race for the first commercial manned space launch.  A new internal NASA document suggests they believe that Boeing may beat them to the punch.

Oh SpaceX, were art thou?

–According to that same government audit report, neither company is likely to be ready to launch crews to the ISS in 2019.  It states that neither company is likely to be able to do so before Augist of 2020.

–While Boeing and SpaceX race to send crews into space, another concern has a loftier goal.  Israeli firm SpaceIL plans to launch the first privately-funded, unmanned lunar lander, in February of next year.  They’ll use a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in an attempt to claim the Google X prize.

Hail! Halil, Asgardia, land of the free and brave!

–Manned space commerce may still be a ways away, and space colonization even farther out.  But that hasn’t stopped Russian computer scientist Igor Ashurbeyli and the 200,000 denizens of self-acclaimed space nation Asgardia from naming him the first leader of the (as of now) virtual nation, as Futurism.com reports.

 Hail, Hail Asgardi…er…Freedonia…land of the free and brave!

Longevity/Anti-aging research–One of the leading figures in the radical human longevity field has tempered his former optimism.  In silico CEO Alex Zhavoronkov now thinks the 150+ year human lifespan he has long dreamed of won’t become reality any time soon.

—On the other hand, researchers at Stowers Institute for Medical Research have made a stem cell breakthrough that could lead to antiaging therapy.  They’ve discovered the one cell in flatworms capable of regenerating an entire organism.

Future transportation–Do  you think self-driving cars are a bit out there?  Flying cars?   Now a French firm is proposing what amounts to a flying train. (Video below).

French flying train proposal.  Maybe they’re just giddy about the World Cup?

You can subscribe to Seeking Delphi™ podcasts on iTunes, PlayerFM, or YouTube (audio with slide show) and you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook 

News of the Future This Week, January 31, 2018

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“The main thing in life is not to be afraid of being human.”–Aaron Carter

You’ve heard it all, and lately you’re hearing it more.  The singularity is near.  Robots are going to take our jobs.  Robots are going to take over altogether.  Robots are even going to take over our sex lives.  Yadda yadda yadda.

I’m not saying it won’t happen;  I just think it’s farther away than the impression most people are getting from all the news.  What’s here right now is genetic editing, and with it, the possibility of directing human evolution. The very real and very near possibility of changing what it means to be human.  Read all the artificial intelligence and future of work articles–yes.  But listen to what  Elizabeth Parrish has to say about modifying the human genome to reverse aging and to keep up–cognitively and physically–with robots.

Seeking Delphi™ will be on vacation next week.  Enjoy the peace and quiet.

Singularity/Being Human/Artificial Intelligence–Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos,  Yuval Harari speculated on whether are future will indeed still be human.

A quasi-human future? Image credt: Kai Stachowiak

–Ray Kurzweill isn’t the only one talking about a technology singularity.  Futurism.com, with an eye toward separating fact from hype, polled several other technology experts for their take on liklihood and timing. 

–I remember when the Cold War simply meant fears of nuclear anhilation.  Physics.org says we should watch out for artificial intelligence as well.

–A big part of being human is IQ (intellectdual quotiant) and EQ (emotional quotiant). But the future of success in the workplace, according to Fast Company, might be AQ (adaptability quotient).

—Here’s the latest take on the robot job apocalypse.     A new report suggests the UK will lose one in 12 jobs to robots and automation by 2030. That’s less then some forecasts, but still enough to be a bother.

—In this weeks Seeking Delphi™ podcast interview, Ending Aging, Part 2, with Elizabeth Parrish,  the CEO of Bioviva, says we need to alter the human genome in two ways.  The first is to reverse aging, which her company is working on.  The second is to enhance humans cognitively and physically to keep up with robots and artificial intelligence.

Laser imaging–Do you like how those 3-D images appear out of thin air in the Star Wars world?  Now a team of BYU physicists have actually created this effect with lasers.

Space Commerce–It seems like everyone and his brother is getting into the business of private space launches.  That’s bound to create the need for support services, and UK company, Effective Space, hope to launch a  satellite repair service by 2020.

Self-Driving vehicles–Have we been hearing altogether too much about autonomous vehicle development, lately.  Satirical web site, The Onion, seems to think so.  The released the image below with headline Tesla Debuts Carless Driver.

Image Credit: The Onion

 

Thanks for visiting and reading.  See you in two weeks.

While you’re reading about all this week’s future-related  news, don’t forget that you can subscribe to Seeking Delphi™ podcasts on iTunes, PlayerFM, or YouTube (audio with slide show) and you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook 

 

A reminder that the Seeking Delphi™ podcast is available on iTunes, PlayerFM, blubrry , and has a channel on YouTube.  You can also follow us on Facebook.