From: Harvey Newstrom (mail@HarveyNewstrom.com)
Date: Fri May 10 2002 - 14:34:18 MDT
On Friday, May 10, 2002, at 10:27 am, Spudboy100@aol.com wrote:
> Source: Duke University (http://www.duke.edu/)
>
>
> Date: Posted 5/10/2002
> Study Indicates No Natural Limit To Life Expectancy
I wish this were true, but I think this analysis is flawed. They are
talking about increased in *average* lifespan, not *maximum* lifespan.
They prove that *average* lifespan is increasing smoothly due to medical
advances. *Maximum* lifespans are not similarly increasing. They show
that the smooth rise in *average* lifespan is not limited by any further
variables such as "old age". They have not shown that *maximum*
lifespan is not limited by old age.
It makes perfect sense that old age plays no role in premature deaths
due to nutrition or disease. We can solve these and smoothly raise
average lifespan until everybody lives a full natural lifespan except
for rare accidents. I fully expect *average* lifespan to increase
smoothly as medical breakthroughs occur, until most people live our
their full natural lifespan. However, the maximum lifespan is a
different measurement that was not addressed here. It still is affected
by genetic predisposition, genetic programming, DNA degradation,
oxidative damage accumulation, and other factors of entropy. This
second set of variables needs to be solved to start extending *maximum*
lifespan.
Luckily, such breakthrough may already be on the way.
-- Harvey Newstrom, CISSP <www.HarveyNewstrom.com> Principal Security Consultant <www.Newstaff.com>
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