• Question: do you think a human would live to be 200?

    Asked by angeredwalrus to Alex, Amy, Andy, Georgia, Ollie on 16 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Ollie Russell

      Ollie Russell answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      IOne day I think it will happen. If we can repair the damage that causes our bodies to shut down then I think it will happen. The problem is curing or preventing the disease we get when we get older. I really wouldnt want to live to 200 if for 100 of those years I had parkinsons diesease.

      Curing these diseases is what alot of research is focused on right now.

    • Photo: Amy Reeve

      Amy Reeve answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      I agree with Ollie, i think the most important thing is making sure that we are healthier as we get older, rather than making us live longer 🙂

    • Photo: Andy MacLeod

      Andy MacLeod answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      I think they will do. Eventually.

      Hello again angeredwalrus. We’re learning more each day about what causes our bodies to shut down as we get older, with a view to extended life. Even over just the last 50 years, average life expectancy in the UK has increased from about 70 to just over 80 years, and with advances in medical technology, that trend looks likely to continue.

      But it brings a new set of questions to answer. Ollie’s about quality of life is a good one – would you want eternal life without eternal youth? I don’t think we’ll ever be able to STOP the ageing process. The best we can do is slow it down.

      There are also social issues involved: if more of the population is getting older, how will society support them? These are questions that I don’t think have been fully resolved yet, but are things we, and future generations, will have to consider.

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