If someone told you that the human race is very close to living forever, what would you say? According to futurologist Dr. Ian Pearson, by 2050 we'll have the capability to become “immortal.” Pearson, a former sound engineer and inventor, claims to have “85% accuracy when looking 10-15 years ahead,” and lists several technological advances as reasons for his prediction.
“There are quite a lot of people interested in living forever,” Dr. Pearson tells The Sun. “There always has been, but the difference now is tech is improving so quickly, lots of people believe they can actually do it.” One technique for extending our lifespan? Pearson points to advances in genetic engineering to prevent cell aging and scientists attempting to create 3D printed organs. This would allow us to simply replace “old parts” when necessary. While it might sound crazy, IFL Science points out that he may be alluding to factual studies, such as the gene editing tool, CRISPR-Cas 9.
But Pearson is really banking on android bodies as our pathway to immortality. Equating it to “renting a car,” he theorizes that “the mind will basically be in the cloud, and be able to use any android that you feel like to inhabit the real world.” Brain interfaces are already a reality, though they are primarily used by people with extreme paralysis. These chips, implanted directly in the brain, allow people to operate prosthetics or computers with their thoughts. And with increasingly realistic dolls being pushed by the sex industry, Pearson's idea may not be so farfetched.
One final theory by Pearson eschews a physical body altogether, in lieu of the virtual world. “You could make as much fun as you could possibly imagine online. You might still want to come into the real world,” he predicts. “You could link your mind to millions of other minds, and have unlimited intelligence, and be in multiple places at once.” But alas, if you are getting ready for 2050, you better start saving your cash. Pearson predicts the first wave of technology will only be available to the ultra-rich, with it taking about 10 to 15 years to trickle down to the rest of us.
h/t: [IFL Science!]
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