We humans had a common ancestor with rodents and later with the other primates. Both likely had far lower lifespan. Yet the genetic differences are minor, but lifespan likely increased 40 fold.
The Brain is one of the highest metabolic activity organs, implying a good chance of metabolic waste production and damage. Yet despite having non-dividing cells there are super agers with minimal cell loss and high function for over 120 years. 50% longer than the average lifespan.
Some whales last for over 200 years with a very metabolically active brain too. What happens to the damage? What about the mitochondria? The damage is exported from the brain through the glymphatic system, it is failure of this system that has been linked to trouble. Mitoptosis, iirc, is able even to remove harmful mutations, that have become common, from the mitochondria population.
We know that cells can be rejuvenated as can tissue generated from such cells. When cells are rejuvenated their epigenetic aging is reset, and the cell repairs itself.
Like the author suggests the aging program likely has several interlocked mechanisms that impede one or two mutations from returning immortality to the organism's lineage. By making each individual mutation on its own harmful without the others, you basically make the immortality trait unevolvable while having all the tools for immortality in your arsenal.
Evolution doesnt increase lifespan by 10 fold or 100 fold with dozens or hundreds of new enzymes solving SENS list. It merely mostly tweaks gene expression and you get up to 10 fold increase. Even with genetically identical members of the same species.
The longer lived a species the closer it is to the immortality genetic program. A trait that requires half a dozen simultaneous mutations might be very difficult to evolve, but a drug cocktail with the right molecules might very well nudge gene expression enough to allow for biological immortality.
Once done. You needn't modify all the cells in the body but merely implant a small population of self regulating cells that generate the appropriate factors.
Post over at kurzweilaiforum
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