The Immortality Enzyme

Will modern Science ever be able to “cure” aging and death? Or is mortality hardwired into existence in a way that can never be circumvented? That life can be prolonged is obvious. People in the First World today are living longer than ever. I for one am grateful beyond words for the wonders that medicine today can achieve. Is there a limit to it? Will technology advance to the point that, one day, people become immortal?

From the study published by MEDICAL XPRESS: “At the end of each chromosome is a protective cap called a telomere. However, most human cells can’t copy them…meaning that every time they divide, their telomeres become shorter. When telomeres become too short, the cell enters a toxic state called ‘senescence’. If these senescent cells are not cleared by the immune system, they begin to compromise the function of the tissues in which they reside. For millennia, humans have perceived this gradual compromise in tissue function over time without understanding what caused it. We simply called it ageing. Enter telomerase, a specialized telomere repair enzyme…”

The secret to aging and disease is in our chromosomes. We are, for lack of a better term, “programmed” to die. Could some new drug interfere with this programming, turning off the aging process? Might the result of dependence on such a drug be an uncontrollable thirst for human blood? (Yes, that last statement was pure sensationalism, but it makes you think, doesn’t it?)

By TheCheezman

WAYNE MILLER is the owner and creative director of EVIL CHEEZ PRODUCTIONS, specializing in theatrical performances and haunted attractions. He has written, produced, and directed (and occasionally acted in) over two dozen plays, most of them in the Horror and True Crime genres. He obtained a doctorate in Occult Studies from Miskatonic University and is an active paranormal investigator. Is frequently told he resembles Anton Lavey. And Ming the Merciless. Denn die totden reiten schnell!

1 comment

  1. This is intriguing! Comic book characters as different as Captain America, Wolverine and the Sub Mariner appear to be functionally immortal(or at least extraordinarily slow to physically age; I have excluded deities such as Thor, Hercules and the Valkyrie for obvious reasons). In real life the telomeres of Henrietta Lacks( who died in 1951, see Wikipedia bio entry) apear to be going strong long after her physical death) But would we WANT TO LIVE FOREVER???- I certainly would NOT!

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