Dont think about living forever.
Just think about never getting sick, ever again.
At least thats how Aubrey de Grey would like you to contextualize his work.
The notoriously bearded biomedical gerontologist is the scientific spark that lights up so many all-caps immortality headlines.
Its been the center of his work for approximately 20 years.
The idea was so well-received that Cambridge awarded him a PhD the following year.
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Why dont you like this word?
AUBREY DE GREY:I think the word is counterproductive.
In my case, its absolutely vital to emphasize that this is just medicine.
Transhumanism is a scary word, and I think its better to use words that dont scare people.
Were not creating a new bang out of human.
How do you feel about the word immortality?
ADG:Immortality has an established meaning: zero risk of death from any cause.
The word dominates the conversation when I speak to the media because they have to sell papers.
Some journalists are responsible, but some use sensationalist language.
You coined the term pro-aging trance.
Can you unpack that for someone whos never heard it before?
ADG:I went to a stage hypnotist show as an undergraduate at Cambridge.
I thought, How can otherwise very intelligent people think this way?
What form will your research take when it becomes practical medicine?
Are we talking about injections, surgery, something else?
ADG:It wont be all that different fromgenetic medicine.
Therapies will be improved to be less invasive.
Mainly its going to be done with injections.
InThe Age Of Spiritual Machines, Ray Kurzweil writes, Death gives meaning to our lives.
It gives importance and value to time.
Time would become meaningless if there were too much of it.What does that stir up for you?
ADG:Its complete bullshit.
That was all fine until I came along.
Kurzweil doesnt have enough biology expertise to have good sense about the specifics, but he doesnt pretend to.
In any event, he talks about the endgame very much in the way I do.
Hes definitely interested in living forever.
Were on the same page in terms of overall drive.
Do you have religious opponents?
ADG:I make a few people angry within the biology of aging.
But most people dont think that anymore.
They realize Im bringing new money into the field, and thats a good thing.
As for religious groups, no.
Keeping people healthy is Gods work.
Its the alleviation of suffering.
It would be a sin not to work on it.
What can people do today to be ready for the longevity treatments of the future?
ADG:They can write me a large check.
That last ones been a problem for over a decade.
The great news is that its the only problem.
New technologies likeCRISPRare providing shortcuts to get us there faster.
The only thing I got wrong was the money.
What are you willing to share about your own health regime?
Do you take any interesting vitamins?
ADG:I am genetically very lucky.
I always come out with the results of a ridiculously young, healthy person.
I have to be very conservative and say, If it aint broke, dont fix it.
Im just one of those lucky people who can eat and drink exactly what he likes and nothing happens.
Im not a role model in this department.
What are the implications of people living much longer?
How do we address overpopulation?
ADG:Lets be clear were not going to have any thousand-year-old people for at least another 900 years.
Thats an important point to remember, because a lot can happen in 900 years.
They will reduce pollution and increase the carrying capacity of our planet.
What are the remaining checkboxes on your to-do list for beating aging?
ADG:Each key in of damage has its own approach to being fixed.
There will be milestones involving combinations of therapies, and were working on these things in parallel.
Yours has been too.
