Research: Living to 200 is not a dream; drugs that destroy zombie cells
36Research: Living to 200 is not a dream; drugs that destroy zombie cells
Scientists working on anti-aging explained that there is no reason why people should not live 200 years or more. British biologist Dr. Andrew Steele says that drugs that destroy the zombie cells that cause aging could be on the market within ten years, while experts are working on dozens of different reptile and amphibian species to find the secrets of long life.
Scientists at the forefront of anti-aging research have announced that they believe they are on the verge of developing a pill that could make people live 200 years and older.
As the Dailymail reported, British biologist and author of a new book on longevity, Dr. Andrew Steele said there is no biological reason why people can't reach the age of 200.
Stating that the big breakthrough will come in the form of drugs that eliminate 'zombie cells' in the body, which are thought to be one of the main culprits of tissue and organ decay as we age, Dr Steele said that trials of pills that clear these cells from the body are ongoing.
Stating that drugs that eliminate cells that cause aging can be launched in as little as 10 years, the biologist said that the drugs in question will help to live up to 150 years old.
REPETITIVE AND AMPHIBIAN SPECIES EXAMINED
However, Michigan State University experts in the US have begun studying dozens of different species of long-lived reptiles and amphibians, including crocodiles, salamanders and turtles, which can live up to 120 years.
While the team hopes they will uncover 'traits' that can also be targeted in humans, some experts think eliminating diseases like cancer, dementia and heart disease could be the real key to longevity.
LIFE EXPECTATION HAS DOUBLED IN THE LAST CENTURY
The idea of living for hundreds of years was once thought to be a pipe dream of billionaires and tech giants.
Medical advances in the last century have allowed people in wealthy countries to live into their 80s, almost double the average life expectancy at the beginning of the 20th century.
Improved nutrition, clean water, better sanitation, and major breakthroughs in medicine have played a key role in extending human lifespan.
The oldest known person is the French Jeanne Calment, who sold canvases to Vincent Van Gogh in the late 1800s. While Calment lived to be 122 years old, he died in 1997.