According to “The Legend of the Immortals,” Peng Zu was the 6th generation descendant of King Zhuanxu. He lived to be 767 years old and remained healthy throughout his life. He witnessed the era of the Xia Dynasty and lived until the end of the Shang Dynasty, even being invited to hold the position of Grand Minister. However, after the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, historical records and legends no longer mention anyone living as long as he did.
Archaeologists later discovered that in ancient times, people used a calendar system where one year was considered to be 60 days. Therefore, Peng Zu’s actual age is estimated to be around 127 years. Nevertheless, for future generations, a person who could live healthily past 100 years like Peng Zu is regarded as a miracle.
Humans Can Live Over 100 Years
This story sparked interest among many scientists to research the genetic codes related to human longevity. In the modern world, advancements in technology, such as artificial intelligence and medical technology, are contributing to an increase in human lifespan. So, according to their calculations, what is the upper limit of human lifespan?
As early as the 19th century, British statistician Benjamin Gompertz formulated a mortality law for humans, known as the Gompertz-Makeham Law. According to this law, the mortality rate of an individual doubles every 8 years after reaching the age of 30.
To combat aging, humans have begun to pursue the search for immortality. (Photo: Baidu)
The Office for National Statistics in the UK has predicted that the average human lifespan will reach 100 years in the future. According to this forecast, women in the UK are expected to reach an average lifespan of 100 years by 2055, and men by 2080.
A study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science revealed that a research team from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) used extrapolation methods to analyze existing data. They collected data on the lifespans of over 1,100 “super-centenarians” across 13 countries, as well as data on elderly individuals in Italy from 2009 to 2015. The results showed that humans could live at least to 130 years or even longer. While this rate is low, it is not impossible.
This finding is also similar to research conducted by professors from Moscow State University and the Russian Institute of Marine Biology based on marine organisms. Their study found that Greenland sharks have the longest average lifespan, averaging 392 years, with some living up to 512 years. They also estimated that the maximum lifespan for humans is around 168 years.
Searching for the Secret of “Immortality”
Since the advent of biotechnology, scientists have been studying cells and have found that human aging is related to cell division. As cells age and die, so too does the human body. Specifically, this involves the DNA segment with repeated sequences at the ends of each chromosome called the telomere. Telomeres play a key role in the biological aging process. In most cells, the length of telomeres gradually decreases with age.
Each time a cell divides, the length of its telomere shortens slightly. Eventually, when the telomere shortens to a certain length, the cell dies. Elizabeth Blackburn, an American-Australian cellular biologist and Nobel Laureate, likened telomeres to the plastic tips of shoelaces. When the tips wear out or break off, the shoelaces begin to fray and deteriorate.
Dr. Ronald DePinho and his team successfully conducted the “rejuvenation” experiment on mice. (Photo: Harvard University)
Unwilling to accept this outcome, a group of American scientists from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston began searching for the secrets of immortality. Subsequently, Dr. Ronald DePinho and his colleagues made breakthroughs in anti-aging research that could help humans maintain eternal youth. The findings of this research were published in the journal Nature.
Dr. DePinho’s team was able to reverse the effects of aging on animals through experiments on mice. They created genetically modified mice that contained a controllable telomerase enzyme. This enzyme is crucial for maintaining telomeres. Mice with this enzyme showed signs of aging early.
From these mice, researchers determined that if the telomerase enzyme was reactivated, the telomeres could be restored, and the symptoms of aging would diminish. After just two months of using the drug to increase telomerase levels, these mice developed so many new cells that it could be considered a “rejuvenation.”
After Dr. DePinho’s team published their findings, there was considerable debate within the scientific community. However, it is important to note that these experiments have only been conducted on animals and remain theoretical.
Is Immortality Good for Humanity?
In 2015, Dr. Aubrey de Grey, a British gerontologist and founder of the SENS Research Foundation in the U.S., shocked the world by claiming that humans could live to be 1,000 years old during a scientific conference.
This statement caused a stir as it seemed to be beyond human reach. However, Dr. de Grey provided evidence regarding immortal HeLa cells. According to him, the premise of human aging is due to cells dying after about 56 divisions. However, HeLa cells differ from normal human cells because they are immortal.
This cell was accidentally created by George Otto Gey, a scientist at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland, USA, in 1951. He took samples from a black woman named Henrietta Lacks who had cancer. Subsequently, scientists named the cell HeLa, and it quickly became a priceless resource for global medicine.
According to Dr. Aubrey de Grey, HeLa cells are the key to human immortality. (Photo: Baidu)
Unlike normal human cells, HeLa cells can survive and reproduce normally in the laboratory. Scientists have used them for polio vaccine research, testing in microgravity environments, cloning, mapping genomes, and tissue culture.
For the medical community, possessing immortal cells is incredibly important for research. To date, aside from HeLa cells, no other immortal cells have been discovered. Since the beginning of the 21st century, five Nobel Prize-winning studies have been based on HeLa cells. Dr. Aubrey de Grey believes that if the secrets of HeLa cells are uncovered, humans could potentially live to be 1,000 years old.
However, scientists also raise concerns about whether it would be good for humanity to maintain immortality. They argue that the absence of immortal life on Earth has its reasons. If humanity were to achieve immortality, the population would increase too much, resources would become scarce, and both humanity and the Earth would face severe destruction.
