Biomedical gerontologist Aubrey de Grey (PhD, University of Cambridge) believes that we have at least a 50% chance of achieving 'longevity escape velocity' (adding more than 1 year to our remaining lifespan each year) within the next 20 years. He has invested almost his entire net worth (less the value of his personal effects and primary residence) into a foundation working towards this goal, the SENS Research Foundation, based in Mountain View, California. (www.sens.org).
De Grey estimates that the SENS Research Foundation requires approximately $40m in annual funding to maximise the pace of the research - the limiting factor at that point being the inherent difficulty of the science.
The Foundation currently has approximately $5m in annual funding, and De Grey estimates that the speed of progress is currently only about a third of what it would be at $40m/year.
Do you believe in this project? Can it be achieved at all, on any timescale? And is it likely, in your view, that we will reach 'longevity escape velocity' in a ~20 year timeframe?
A brief introduction to his ideas and work: youtube.com
Read his PhD manuscript here: sens.org
See here for his academic credentials: sens.org
And see here for details of the members of the Scientific Advisory Board of the SENS Research Foundation: sens.org
Here’s a recent video with BBC News: bbc.co.uk
Aubrey solves decades-old ‘unsolvable’ math problems for fun in his spare time: sciencemag.org
Skeptical? See Aubrey interviewed on BBC HARDTalk: youtube.com
