Science & Technology

We will reach 'longevity escape velocity' in 5 years, scientist claims

By T.K. Randall
December 4, 2024 ·  6 comments

Scientist and futurist Ray Kurzweil. Image Credit: CC BY-SA 2.0 nrkbeta When it comes to predicting the future, Ray Kurzweil - who has written numerous books on the subject - is someone worth listening to.

Back in 1990, he predicted that a computer would be able to beat a human at chess within 10 years (which actually happened) and he also predicted that smartphones would become an integral part of all our lives (which also came true).

Now he is claiming that we will achieve 'longevity escape velocity' within just 5 years.

What is longevity escape velocity ? It's essentially the point at which the rate at which we can extend the natural lifespan of our species will begin to exceed the rate at which we are actually aging.For example, you might age one year, but due to medical and technological advances, your lifespan might be extended by more than one year - essentially giving you time back on the clock.

Kurzweil himself describes this as "going back in time".

"We got the COVID vaccine out in ten months," he told Bessemer Venture Partners in an interview.

"It took two days to create it. Because we sequenced through several billion different mRNA sequences in two days. There's many other advances happening."

"We're starting to see simulated biology being used and that's one of the reasons that we're going to make so much progress in the next five years."

Source: Popular Mechanics | Comments (6)

Tags: Immortality, Ageing