Mankind is marching towards human immortality

[Paper presented at the National Seminar on the Concept of Scientific Temper organized by True Rationalistic Union of Samaj-seva Trainers (TRUST) led by Nihar Acharya at Jayadev Bhavan Bhubaneswar on 18 th December 2005]

MANKINDS MARCH AND NATURES AGENDA

 N.Nandhivarman General Secretary Dravida Peravai

Mankind is marching towards human immortality. This is neither prophecy nor astrological prediction. It is the aim of science to attain the goal of immortality. How this goal could be achieved? You must know that in spite of much talk about our era of information technology, in fact we have crossed that era. Already we are in nano-technology era. Nano-technology era had dawned. In another 30 years of research we can be near to inserting tiny machines called intelligent nanobots into our bodies which will eradicate ravages of illness and age and help us live indefinitely.

 Where humanity is heading for?

                                    Towards Immortality: Nanobots

Ray Kurzwell wrote a book “Fantastic Voyage: Live long enough to live Forever.” In that book he wrote, “ Millions of blood cell sized robots which he called nanobots will be swarming through our body repairing bones, muscles, arteries and brain cells.” Yes like the anti virus programmes in our computers we will be having nanobots, as tiny as one out of 1000 th size of our hair which will eradicate disease at the time of the start itself.

Ray Kurzwell foresees human intelligence not only conquering its biological limits including death but completely mastering the natural world. He is a recipient of $500000 Lemelson_MIT prize from that Academy Award for Inventors. In USA he had won 1999 National Medal for Technology Award. His publications had appeared in Wired to Time magazines. Christian Science Monitor had called him” Modern Edison”. He was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame in 2002. This is the man representing the march of science.

Downloading Brain

  

The Observer newspaper from London on May 22-2005 said Death could become a thing of the past by middle of 21 st century as computer technology becomes sophisticated enough for contents of the brain to be downloaded onto a supercomputer according to Ian Pearson Head of the Futurology unit at British telecommunications giant BT.

 Making Life longer

Scottish Daily Scotsman in March 28-2005 says that a pill had been invented by Aberdeen University Professor John Speakman if taken once a day will keep a person healthier and able to work longer and would extend his lifespan by 30 years.

 Injecting life into nerve cells

 The team at Boston’s Children hospital and Harvard University had identified a molecule that is helping injured nerve cells regenerate and it might be used to develop new treatments for spinal chord injuries, brain diseases and stroke damage. The molecule called inosine acts as a master switch to turn on a number of genes involved in the growth of nerve cells.

 Designer gene Cure

 The journal of American Heart association “Circulation” in a study states “ It might be possible to design and construct genetically engineered designer gene therapy for selectively delivering genes to any part of the body. We can’t do it now because much of what is injected would be sequestered by liver said AndrewH.Baker, Reader in Molecular Medicine at University of Glasgow in Scotland.

New form of Matter

Deborah Jin a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s joint lab with the University of Colorado had announced that they have found new form of matter called fermionic condensate and it is sixth known form of matter after gases, solids, liquids, plasma and a Bio-Einstein condensate created only in 1995. It is not a superconductor but it is really something in between these two that may help us in science to link these two interesting behaviors. Her team’s new form of matter uses fermions the building blocks of matter that include protons, electrons and neutrons. Fermions are your independent thinkers; they don’t copy your neighbors.

 Nano-Drugs

 Smart drugs that can travel through your body, diagnose the problem and deliver nano-doses straight to the diseased cells is possible within 5 years in India, if Governments act fast in helping research. Dr.B.M.Choudry Deputy Director of the Inorganic and Physical Chemistry division of Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad on July 24-2004 had told that targeted drug delivery would be more efficient in fighting diseases with fewer side effects. A patient suffering from throat cancer could be given a nano drug that can kill cancer cells. A single nano capsule injected into the subcutaneous tissue lungs or stomach is enough to cure some of the ailments, which might normally take dozens of pills in conventional treatment.

Pulsating Pants to Pump blood to Heart:

If you have heart problem go to the ready-made shop and buy a pulsating pant. These vibrating trousers work like a pump to increase blood flow to the heart. The vibrating leg wear meant to be worn for an hour a day over seven weeks have in built inflatable cuffs around the calves, thighs and buttocks which inflate and deflate with each heart beat, thus pushing the blood up the leg towards the heart. The garments are part of new non-invasive heart treatment technique called External Enhanced Counter pulsation. Unlike procedures like by pass surgery, angioplasty; EECP involves no surgery, drugs or needles.

Well all these may indicate the march of our science let us also take a look back at where from we came from? Where we came from?