Billionaires Fund Anti-Aging Research, Raising Access and Hype Concerns
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Ancient civilizations like Egypt tried to extend life through burial rituals; modern billionaires are investing in science and startups to research life extension therapies.
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Venki Ramakrishnan, a Nobel Prize-winning biologist, wrote a new book examining the biology of aging and the potential for life extension.
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Private equity money is flowing into anti-aging research, sometimes fueling hype and dubious science according to Ramakrishnan.
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Epigenetics shows how creatures with the same genes, like bee colonies, can age differently based on which genes are activated.
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Ramakrishnan worries future longevity interventions may only be affordable by the rich, worsening existing disparities in lifespan between rich and poor.