October 21, 2009
Scientists Tackle Old Age
UK scientists hope to give centenarians 50-year-old bodies.
Scientists Tackle Old Age
UK scientists hope to give centenarians 50-year-old bodies.
SUMMARY: One day centenarians may have the bodies of 50-year-olds,
scientists in the UK say. Although half the babies now born in that country will
reach 100 thanks to higher living standards, their bodies are wearing out at the
usual rate. To reach "50 active years after 50," experts at Leeds U. are looking
for innovative solutions.
Durable implants such as new hips, knees and heart valves are starting points,
but scientists think most body parts eventually could be upgraded as they age.
The university already has made a hip transplant that should last for life rather
than the current 20 years maximum. The improved hip transplant uses a
durable cobalt-chrome metal alloy socket and a ceramic ball or "head" that
should easily withstand the 100 million steps a 50-year-old might take by the
time he reaches his 100th birthday.
Meanwhile, Prof Eileen Ingham and her team have developed a way to allow
the body to enhance itself. The idea is to get the body to make its own
transplantable tissues and eventually organs, thereby eliminating the problem
of rejection. They have already managed to make fully functioning heart valves
by taking a healthy donor heart from a human or suitable animal such as a pig.
They then strip away all the cells leaving an inert scaffold that can be
transplanted into a patient without fear of rejection. The body will then
repopulate the scaffold with cells. This method could also be used on donor
skin for burns patients.
Experts hope the new technology will help to remove the heavy reliance on
donor organs. One scientist said, "To replace all donor tissue using this
technology will take 30 to 50 years. Each single product will need to be
designed and tested individually."
To read the entire article click on this link to the BBC.
COMMENT: I'm sure we will wish researchers well in their efforts to make
aging a more comfortable process as life expectancy continues to rise.
Nevertheless, if any scientists think it may be possible to duplicate
Methuselah's age (969 years), they will be wasting their time. For modern
humans, there is a limit. Psalm 90:10 says, "The length of our days is seventy
years— or eighty, if we have the strength," which is the approximate life
expectancy in the U.S. at present.
Also, the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics (entropy) can be expected to take its
toll. While replacing some body parts might extend our life spans to some
extent, can the human brain ever be replaced? Currently dementia is a growing
problem along with our aging population, a problem for which no solution is in
sight and one that was not addressed in this article.
The solution to a long and healthy life, in fact an eternal, completely healthy
life in heaven, lies in Jesus Christ. When we confess our sins and place our
trust in Him as our Savior, He has promised, "In my Father's house are many
rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a
place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take
you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:2-3 NIV)
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QUESTION OF THE DAY
What medical condition is known as polydactyly?
**************************************************************************************
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containing alternate views. However, comments containing profanity or
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scientists in the UK say. Although half the babies now born in that country will
reach 100 thanks to higher living standards, their bodies are wearing out at the
usual rate. To reach "50 active years after 50," experts at Leeds U. are looking
for innovative solutions.
Durable implants such as new hips, knees and heart valves are starting points,
but scientists think most body parts eventually could be upgraded as they age.
The university already has made a hip transplant that should last for life rather
than the current 20 years maximum. The improved hip transplant uses a
durable cobalt-chrome metal alloy socket and a ceramic ball or "head" that
should easily withstand the 100 million steps a 50-year-old might take by the
time he reaches his 100th birthday.
Meanwhile, Prof Eileen Ingham and her team have developed a way to allow
the body to enhance itself. The idea is to get the body to make its own
transplantable tissues and eventually organs, thereby eliminating the problem
of rejection. They have already managed to make fully functioning heart valves
by taking a healthy donor heart from a human or suitable animal such as a pig.
They then strip away all the cells leaving an inert scaffold that can be
transplanted into a patient without fear of rejection. The body will then
repopulate the scaffold with cells. This method could also be used on donor
skin for burns patients.
Experts hope the new technology will help to remove the heavy reliance on
donor organs. One scientist said, "To replace all donor tissue using this
technology will take 30 to 50 years. Each single product will need to be
designed and tested individually."
To read the entire article click on this link to the BBC.
COMMENT: I'm sure we will wish researchers well in their efforts to make
aging a more comfortable process as life expectancy continues to rise.
Nevertheless, if any scientists think it may be possible to duplicate
Methuselah's age (969 years), they will be wasting their time. For modern
humans, there is a limit. Psalm 90:10 says, "The length of our days is seventy
years— or eighty, if we have the strength," which is the approximate life
expectancy in the U.S. at present.
Also, the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics (entropy) can be expected to take its
toll. While replacing some body parts might extend our life spans to some
extent, can the human brain ever be replaced? Currently dementia is a growing
problem along with our aging population, a problem for which no solution is in
sight and one that was not addressed in this article.
The solution to a long and healthy life, in fact an eternal, completely healthy
life in heaven, lies in Jesus Christ. When we confess our sins and place our
trust in Him as our Savior, He has promised, "In my Father's house are many
rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a
place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take
you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:2-3 NIV)
**************************************************************************************
Want to be automatically notified each time there is a new post? Just e-mail
your request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
**************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
What medical condition is known as polydactyly?
**************************************************************************************
NOTE ON VISITOR COMMENTS: Visitor comments are invited including those
containing alternate views. However, comments containing profanity or
advertisements will not be published. After posting a comment, please allow
several hours for it to appear on the blog.
**************************************************************************************
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| LSI stands for the Lutheran Science Institute, an organization of WELS and ELS Lutherans interested in science and health issues with a special emphasis on the creation and evolution controversy. This blog's purpose is to search the Internet to find articles of interest to Christians. Views expressed are those of the author (Warren Krug) and are not necessarily those of the Lutheran Science Institute, Inc. |
Polydactyly is a condition in which one
has extra fingers or toes. The late
actress Marilyn Monroe never had extra
fingers or toes despite rumors to that
effect. However, British actress Gemma
Arterton, who had a lead role in the
movie Quantum of Solace, was born with
six fingers on each hand. The extra
fingers were removed when she was a
baby. (photo from Wikimedia Commons)
Source: Parade (October 11, 2009)
has extra fingers or toes. The late
actress Marilyn Monroe never had extra
fingers or toes despite rumors to that
effect. However, British actress Gemma
Arterton, who had a lead role in the
movie Quantum of Solace, was born with
six fingers on each hand. The extra
fingers were removed when she was a
baby. (photo from Wikimedia Commons)
Source: Parade (October 11, 2009)