I have seen the future (today, on YouTube) and the future is now! Go and watch the CBS news segment on the medical clinical trials for regenerating human tissue, organs and even limbs! (Update 4/2011 – this video is no longer available.)
It’s really cool, but rather scary. If we can do this, then how long before we reduce/eliminate mortality? Speaking as a middle aged person (Gosh, that’s hard to say!), who is in no hurry to grow old and die, I’m not sure that eliminating mortality and morbidity is a good thing. I believe that mortality and the knowledge that life is short is what makes us human — what makes us either noble or despicable as individuals.
Removing that may well remove other aspects of our being that we don’t even know are in peril. I don’t know where I fall on this issue (not that my opinion could possibly alter the direction this technology is taking), but I do know it will give me something to contemplate for quite some time.
It’s been many weeks since I’ve shared any Friday finds. I’d like to remedy that now. I’ve taken some of the “down” time this week to catch up on what’s going on around the web. Granted, I’ve allowed myself to lag behind a bit in recent months, but I’m back!