Anti-aging. How can you be against something as natural as aging? It could be that it’s really a case of reverse engineering; cracking the codes to extend human lifespan. This obsession with hyping the optics of aging, prolonging our date with mortality has intensified as evidenced by the growth of product development (jars and tubes of dreams), and research investment (genetic science).
Big business. Even Google can’t resist.
In 2013, it launched Calico, a start-up R&D biotech company. “We’re Tackling Aging, one of life’s greatest mysteries.” California Life Company – Calico Labs. We are done with mastering internet search; we’re onto improving longevity. In some way, is this not the new “gold rush”?
The rings of a giant redwood tree look so beautifully aged spread out on the Calico home page. I recall my summer read – Five Billion Years of Solitude, where 81-year old astronomer Frank Drake had his children at one time count more than 2,000 rings on the trunk of a redwood. You can imagine what happened in the galaxies while we recycled generations and that tree enjoyed its longevity.
Meanwhile back to now, modern doctors and scientists work on real research and you can track this other modern science fiction the media feeds on, looking for the latest poster girl or boy living to 122 – with secrets! Today’s Mary Shelley creates Frankenstein’s Boomer. What an experiment, to live forever. We are the monster on a date with eternity – and we are the monster with attitude.