Russian Billionaire, Plans Immortality Research Center

Dmitry Itskov, a Russian billionaire and media mogul, is betting that money can buy eternal life.

Itskov's 2045 Initiative, which is trying to make immortality a reality, launched its own political party in Russia last week: Evolution 2045. Though Evolution 2045 is based in Russia, it aims to create "a new stage of human civilization" throughout the world.

Itskov founded the 2045 Initiative in February 2011. He has brought 30 top Russian scientists on board and plans to create an international research center devoted to study immortality.

The 2045 Initiative has outlined a 30-year plan to develop the technology for human beings to transfer their consciousness into "avatars," or robots. Its self-declared ambition is to make the human race "eventually become a new species."

Itskov told Wired in February that he wants to eventually create hologram bodies that would "host" human consciousness, kind of like something out of the movie Avatar.

"I believe in something you call the American Dream," Itskov told Wired. "If you put all your energy and time into something, you can make it a reality."

You may be imagining a dystopian future of immortal billionaires lording over the mortal masses. But not to worry, the avatars would be mass-produced so that eventually they would cost about as much as a car, making them affordable for the middle class, according to the 2045 Initiative.

www.huffingtonpost.com...

Originally posted by noctu


You may be imagining a dystopian future of immortal billionaires lording over the mortal masses. But not to worry, the avatars would be mass-produced so that eventually they would cost about as much as a car, making them affordable for the middle class, according to the 2045 Initiative.

www.huffingtonpost.com...

bingo
So everything will be all kewl
for the Alphas & the Betas

not so kewl for the Deltas

Originally posted by spoonbender

Originally posted by noctu


You may be imagining a dystopian future of immortal billionaires lording over the mortal masses. But not to worry, the avatars would be mass-produced so that eventually they would cost about as much as a car, making them affordable for the middle class, according to the 2045 Initiative.

www.huffingtonpost.com...

bingo
So everything will be all kewl
for the Alphas & the Betas

not so kewl for the Deltas

`And if anything should go wrong, there's soma`


Thats quite a challenge facing Mr. Itskov - He certainly cannot be accused of not thinking big. Inmho - it would need a modern day Manhattan Project type scope to pull off such a complex task ....... and even then ?

I have seen scientists state that the first 1000 year old person has probably already been born.

Scientists are getting close to fully understanding the aging process and are developing the technology to reverse it. a major part is the error in copying DNA when a cell reproduces. It seems strange to me why we have not evolved to live longer.

The way it works is that every 20 years or so the person would be treated with the new techniques developed during those 20 years and so on as the tech will keep getting better it this could potentially carry on indefinately.

The first1000 year old person already born

personally i think his efforts would be better used towards a space elevator

Oh great...another wacko billionaire that wants to cheat nature. I can't even bare to think about all the animals and humans that will be harmed to conduct experiments to fullfill his "insanity". I do believe there is life after death in our bodies, and based on countless near death experiences it seems to be pretty wonderful.....lol.....who wants a 1,000 year old body, who wants thier brain in a robot?

What's with all the negativity? If I were a billionaire, I'd probably invest in something like that as well.

I get it though, all cops are evil and unjust pigs and all rich people are insane megalomaniacs. Get over it already.

So that's their plan, then. You too can have eternal life for the low, low price of just $9,999,999.99. And we'll add in this free robot body if you call within the next 10 minutes ('cause we can't do this all day, y'know).. (shipping and handling not included in price. Separate handling fee for robot body.)

I don't know...the thought of living forever used to appeal to me but today, being older and possibly a bit wiser, I just don't want to. This crazy rock is driving me nuts and it keeps getting worse, so I say let nature take its course with me and when I go, I go and hopefully, I'll have a better ride in the afterlife. I'll take my chances.

Originally posted by DJOldskool


It seems strange to me why we have not evolved to live longer.

The mechanism of evolution orientates our bodies around reproduction - not life long & optimum health. Once we move out of our 30`s it`s pretty much all down hill ......

Genes that increase lifetime reproduction are selected for - even if they reduce an organisms longevity. Equally, a gene that decreases life-time reproduction will be eliminated by natural selection - even if it increases an organisms longevity.

So, if living longer facilitated/resulted in higher reproductive success it would be selected for by natural selection, but thats not the case with humans - though I believe we are considered to be a rather long- lived mammal.

Many of the things which maximize reproductive success when we are young .... are the very things which cause health complications in later years.

Originally posted by MountainLaurel
who wants a 1,000 year old body, who wants thier brain in a robot?

me and a whole lot of other people.

yeah. and he needs to set up another research center in order to make sure that the sun and earth stay around long enough (forever for that matter) to harbor the immortals. or yet another center to finally figure out intergalactic travel to explore and find other planets as there'd be neither place nor resources to support the population. chaos hooray!

reply to post by jamsession


if I were to achieve this immortality going to space would be my main priority,
and this will be the first song I play when I hit space:
firefly

reply to post by noctu


I really am happy to hear that someone is doing this. I personally feel that this can be done and is long over due to be done. Various obstacles have prevented scientist from actually putting this into works. Two big obstacles are always religious groups and political groups. But of course, they try and restrict scientist from doing a lot of cooky experiments. Overall, I feel this will open up many doors. Some good and some bad. In the end, it will make society a lot more interesting. But let's start with each area that our Russian billionaire is covering.

The thought of people living forever is interesting. The whole social order of society would change. Time would not be looked at from a linear perspective. Those who feel that they only have one life to live, would be put at ease with society. People would live more relaxed lives, knowing that they have well over 1,000 years to make decisions. If people were more relaxed, the crime rate may decrease to a minimum, world wide. Yea, you would always have the groups of people who egg cars on Halloween, but that's nothing. Yea someone robs a store every now and then, but police can deal with that. No one would feel as if they have to rush to do things, before they die.

As for holograms, I'm all for it. Although, I wonder if our Russian billionaire could achieve something like the HOLLOW DECK from Star-Trek. Interactive people, who aren't really there. You can come in contact with them as if they are real people. But in reality, they are not real. By using programming that was gathered from brain transfusion research, these people would behave like normal people. Depending on the HOLLOW DECK technology, real life environments could be created. Imagine the settings that one could stimulate for themselves. You would swear that you were actually at night club, when in reality, your walking about in a endless vass space within the hollow deck. Perfectly safe, though.

reply to post by MastaShake



Bingo. You said it perfect. What a genius concept to use common sense.

reply to post by noctu


G'day OP

Its not difficult to restore our age limit to 1000 years instead of 100 years

We had our DNA changed to be aggressive and only live 100 years by gods who used us to fight wars

the agression gene needs to be fixed before the age gene or else you get a smart agro dude

Originally posted by MountainLaurel
Oh great...another wacko billionaire that wants to cheat nature. I can't even bare to think about all the animals and humans that will be harmed to conduct experiments to fullfill his "insanity". I do believe there is life after death in our bodies, and based on countless near death experiences it seems to be pretty wonderful.....lol.....who wants a 1,000 year old body, who wants thier brain in a robot?

Me for one. We've been cheating nature since we first invented medicine.

Sign me up for the world where dying of old age is a lifestyle choice.