From: gts (gts@optexinc.com)
Date: Thu Aug 29 2002 - 01:09:35 MDT
It is a hard fact of physical science that molecules decompose
spontaneously. This spontaneous decomposition happens through a process
called "quantum tunneling." Both organic and inorganic molecules are
subject to
this form of decay.
Quantum tunneling is probably the last and final frontier in anti-aging
science. It has yet to be addressed because there are so many other
problems
which must first be solved. It may be hundreds of years, perhaps even
thousands of years, before the problem of quantum tunneling even appears
on
the radar screens of physicians. But those of us interested in defying
death
should consider it now.
Quantum tunneling damages organic molecules including those that
comprise the
human body. Quantum tunneling deforms the molecule in which it occurs.
It happens randomly, according to the same laws of quantum mechanics
that
predict the frequency at which radioactive atoms emit radioactive
particles. For molecules in the body these deformations do not happen
frequently. However the human body is made of billions of molecules and
so it happens
quite frequently in terms of the over-all human organism. Eventually
every
molecule is deformed by quantum tunneling, including the critical
molecules
that comprise our genetic material and which control the synthesis of
important life proteins.
This type of damage happens very slowly and is hardly
relevant to anti-aging medicine circa 2002. But anti-aging doctors of
the
distant future will be faced with what appears to be an insurmountable
problem. As such it appears to be a problem that extropians should
consider.
Most people are aware that the molecules in our bodies can be damaged by
free radicals. The suppression of free-radical damage is a main
objective
of anti-aging medicine. Probably we can control free-radical damage with
natural and artificial anti-oxidants and thus slow aging to some degree.
The laws of chemistry support this theory that anti-oxidants can slow
aging
by controlling the damage caused by free-radicals. However damage to the
body from quantum-tunneling is a completely different problem. Unlike
the
laws of biology and chemistry, which allow for the suppression of
free-radical damage, the laws of quantum mechanics (particle physics)
do not allow for the suppression of quantum-tunneling damage. For this
reason the theory of quantum mechanics predicts that true human
immortality
is simply not achievable unless immortality is not dependant upon
biology.
It may be possible in the future to use one's own DNA to grow new organs
to
replace old diseased organs. This emerging technology may even overcome
the
problem of quantum-tunneling to some degree for those organs that are
freshly grown from preserved genetic material. This will be a huge step
toward immortality. But what about diseases of the brain and mind?
Perhaps science will someday discover new laws of physics and biology
that
allow for the suppression of quantum-tunneling damage. However for now
it
appears that spontaneous quantum decomposition of organic molecules and
human mortality are unavoidable facts of the physical universe.
-gts
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