Longevity Escape Velocity is closer than you think!
A good friend sent me a DM and said: ‘Mate, you need to help me unhate my view of the future.’
This was my answer: “If you can live to 2035, you might live forever.”
Big statement – in fact, they don’t come much bigger. This would be the most transformative thing that has happened to our species. I meant what I said.
It’s called Longevity Escape Velocity (LEV). This is a term that will start to permeate media and modern AI culture.
Definition: Longevity Escape Velocity (LEV) is the idea that if we have enough technology, life expectancy can increase faster than time itself. Essentially, each year lived will add more than a year to your lifespan. Once we reach LEV, aging simply becomes a managed condition, not an inevitable decline. It’s a tipping point where aging becomes just another solvable problem. And we are very close.
We’re on the brink of flipping the script on human longevity, turning science fiction into science reality. We might just be the first immortal generation.
If this sounds kind of insane – here are some things worth remembering:
In agrarian society, people frequently died from broken arms and legs. Life expectancy was somewhere in our low 40s. And for 199,900 or so years, this number didn’t change. Yet, in the past 100 years, life expectancy has increased by 25 years. And this is accelerating. As I write this, life expectancy is increasing by 4.8 months every 12 months.
Key breakthroughs in biotechnology, regenerative medicine, and AI will facilitate this Longevity Escape Velocity.
When will this occur?
The rapid pace of technological innovation means we might see LEV sooner than we think. Legendary futurist Ray Kurzweil predicts we could hit LEV by 2035. He sees the exponential growth in technology as our ticket to immortality. Another biomedical gerontologist, Aubrey de Grey, agrees with this assessment.
Technologies to make it possible
Artificial Intelligence:
Function: AI’s advanced algorithms and machine learning capabilities can crunch massive datasets, uncovering the secrets of aging. Finding connections and solutions no human could ever uncover.
Impact: AI will supercharge drug discovery, personalize treatments, and optimize healthcare, making it possible to extend and enhance life like never before.
CRISPR:
Function: This gene-editing marvel lets us tweak DNA with precision, potentially fixing the genetic hiccups that cause aging and age-related diseases. We could even use it to reverse the aging process and change our physical disposition; height, eye color, you name it.
Impact: CRISPR could spawn therapies that halt or even reverse genetic damage from aging, paving the way for longer, healthier lives.
Nanotechnology:
Function: By manipulating matter at the molecular level, nanotechnology can repair cellular damage from the inside out. This has already occurred. Researchers have already developed nanorobots that kill cancer cells in mice while leaving healthy cells untouched.
Impact: Picture tiny machines patrolling your body, fixing damage, delivering drugs, and keeping you in peak condition—like having a personal medical team at a microscopic level. Not once you get sick, but on an ongoing basis to avoid illness.
Regenerative Medicine:
Function: Stem cell therapy and tissue engineering are at the heart of regenerative medicine.
Impact: These technologies can regenerate damaged tissues and organs, effectively rolling back the clock on aging.
Massive Implications
As lifespans extend, we’ll need to rethink societal structures. Careers, retirement, and relationships will evolve, adapting to a world where living beyond 100 is the norm, not the exception. A world of infinite lifespans has incomprehensible social implications.
LEV brings ethical dilemmas—who will have access to life-extending tech?
How do we ensure fairness? We must tackle these questions head-on to avoid a future where longevity is a privilege, not a right. We could invent a new problem—Lifespan Inequality. Which we must remember already exists as wealth is a key predictor of how long someone lives today.
The economic landscape will shift dramatically. Healthcare systems, insurance models, and economies will need to adapt to a population that stays healthy and active well into old age. How will people fund an infinite future instead of retirement? Will we work forever? Or will we achieve collective abundance with the same technology?
Embracing LEV means preparing for a future where longevity is not just a dream but a reality within our grasp. It might just offset low birth rates and totally redefine our species. But the social tsunami will be a wild ride.
Keep Thinking,
Steve.
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