A couple of l-o-o-o-n-g term items

Something you tend to wonder about when thinking about the future is: how many people will be around and for how long?

According to the latest UN projections the world population will reach 8.9 billion folks by 2050 and top-out at 9 billion around 2300. The US will reach about 500 million. Fewer kids and more AIDS will put the brakes on growth.

Unless…


This site promotes the “longevity meme”—the idea that extending life indefinitely is a worthy and credible goal. They’re saying that, at this point, it’s an idea to shoot for. Unless you have the vision, audacious as it may be, (like eliminating cancer) it won’t happen. If you were around in the ‘70s you’ll recall the saying: “Nothing is so powerful as an ideas whose time has come.” Certainly among most scientists and doctors this is the playground of quacks, crackpots and snake oil salesmen. Still, the notion of extending average lifespan to 100 or of life extension to as much as 120 years for some individuals is not met with as much derision today as it was 20 years ago. And if it comes true only partially it will play havoc with the maximum population projections made by the UN.

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