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I was wondering what your views on Life Extension (as defined http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_extension here) on are. Personally if I knew that it wasn't available in my lifetime but Cryogenics were safe at some point in my lifetime I would definatly freeze my [censored] until life extension/age reversal was available because If I have any say in it; I'm not dying anytime soon!

Yeah I know this post isn't exactly structured or written that great but I did it in a few minutes and I am tired 'cause I've had a busy day.

Don't want age reversal, nor do I want to live forever. However, I do intend to live long enough to see new star systems, and for a long time overall. There is no promise of something waiting for me beyond death, I want to experience (And, if possible, make as large an impact on the galactic scale) as much as possible before death.

When I said age reversal I meant http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rejuvenation_(aging)

My views on this resemble what what is described here.

http://twokinds.comicgenesis.com/d/20070112.html
4th and 5th panel.

Enjoy what you have now, live without regrets. Chose a path that makes you feel good and content as a person (and I don't mean partying all the time).
Why would you need an extra 30 years if you've been afraid to live the 60 years before that.

In a way you can compare it to a day at Disneyland. you get a period of time in the themepark to have fun and do what you want. In the end, fun's over and you need to go home.
I believe in having fun and enjoying what was given to me and going home when the time is up. I don't want to stress out and worry that I only have a limited amount of time.
Ofcourse like all comparisons, this one isn't perfect.

Edit: Staying a bit more on topic. I believe that if I had to chose, between extension or rejuvenation, I'd chose rejuvenation.

Well, we do know how to unfreeze a body safely and all that stuff for cyro technologies. But, it was discovered be holocaust mad scientist evil guys so i don't know if they would use it.

In order to preform cell regeneration, we would have to create a way to go into each and ever cell in the human body (trillions?) and trick them into "forgetting" how old they are. Unless I'm incorrect (which is possible), all cells have a predetermined lifespan. By this, I mean that they will undergo mitosis, etc. only a certain number of times before giving out and dying. I'm certainly no expert on the human body, but this would require either: 1) genetic mutation at birth, or 2) trillions of nanobots using technology that hasn't even come close to being invented.

My view: Don't count on it. Especially in our lifetime.

Actually that wouldn't be necessary. Hundreds of thousands of your cells die and start each day. Aging actually includes that your cells replace themselves slower.

Then I refer back to my point of genetic alteration. In order to prolong the life of a cell, I would thing we would need to alter the DNA of the cell, correct? It's hard to change something that important about a living organism without manipulating something at the molecular level. While I love the idea of nanobots and what they can do for humanity, I feel this crosses into the genetics field more closely than nanotechnology. And we all know how much controversy there is over genetics.

Take GM (or genetically modified) foods for example. It took years of political debate and millions in research to produce a simple first generation BT Corn. If it took that much for a single stock of corn, and even more for the golden rice fiasco, just imagine what would happen if anyone tried to apply this technology to humans.

Why I won't go for such a thing. Nor will I be the one doing work for such (Unless it gives me something similar to my desires in the old "Kill Puppy Gain Superpowers" thread).

Extension.

They've actually done that with skin cells.

Edit: and when cells go under mitosis they copy their DNA to the offspring cells.

Edit, again; And have you seen how they produce insulin? They actually tricked bacteria into creating it for us by modifying its RNA or something and even that may become obsolete soon http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/54627.php

Oh looky here another edit: To comment on your analogy; I'm not saying I never would want to leave "Disneyland" (again I'm using your analogy incase you didn't read that for some reason) I would just want my fun to last longer. A longer period of time. Of course, I know it would have to end sometime, and thats kind of scary but I don't want it ending that soon. I guess in the end it's the fact that death is an unknown road,and thats scary ya know? What happens now, when I die, where do I go; 'Cause I don't believe in all of that religous stuff.

I've always thought that was pretty clever. Didn't they use pigs in the process at one point?

But producing a chemical for injection is different that actually going into the human genome and modifying cells. While playing around with bacteria is one thing, playing God with the genome is an entirely different thing.

Yeah well I don't see any problem with atleast researching it. Like trying to reprogram some human cells into embryos by mixing them with cow cells. ( http://www.newscientist.com/channel/hea ... -cell.html )

Bah, they're also researching the 'conception' of babies with only either a male or females cells (And they've nearly gotten it, The Sex Wars will be the big thing in future History Books).

Problem is that Life Extension is likely only going to extend to the rich and powerful.

No, no if you read the whole article they reprogrammed skin cells and other types of cells into embryo's or something like that.

I guess life extension does have it's shortcomings and it wouldn't help the overpopulation issue but you could always fix that by limiting the amount of children one could have, no? That wouldn't fly well with some people though.

I know they are researching the conception of babies with only one sex cell though but thats not what that was about. I don't believe thats really morally right but I wouldn't fight against it and what about people that are infertile and the likes, it could help them. I wouldn't try to influence other people either, after all it is their choice. I just wouldn't personally set out to do something like that.