X-Message-Number: 992
Newsgroups: sci.cryonics
From:  (Thomas D. Shapard)
Subject: ageing research
Date: 14 Jul 92 22:55:16 GMT

	I suggest that the public at large will not move toward cryonics
until they begin to accept the idea that greatly extended healthy
lifespans will someday be possible.  And they won't accept that
idea until they see some indication of actual ageing reversal
technology in action.
	As I understand it, research into actual control and reversing of
ageing is near nonexistent.  Research into specific diseases
associated with age is done, but, as I recall, the relevant
Federal organization (?) explicitly denies any goal of extending
maximum lifespans or reversing the effects of ageing. As usual,
funding for such research is more likely to follow rather than
lead public pressure
	But I suspect even a demonstrated new tech capability to do
something fairly minor, even something like reversing the greying
of hair [I don't mean a new improved dye, I mean actually changing
whatever causes greying] would begin the change in broad public
opinion.
	What other, in themselves maybe fairly minor advances, do you
think might (a) be possible comparatively soon, and (b) be such as
to capture the public's imagination?
	
-- 
Tom Shapard  NRaD San Diego CA

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