Concerning Cultivation of Immortality

So this is a question I've been meaning to brainstorm for a project I'm planning on. Its inspired by evolutionary biology and how circumstances defined by nature, has the potential to shape life. Things like the gecko's adhesive feet and a bats sonar are good general examples.

Those aren't what I'm aiming for however. The animal trait I'm inspired by, belongs to the jelly fish Turritopsis dohrnii and makes me think in this way:

There is arguably a distinct evolutionary advantage to mortality. It opens up room for the next generation and it allows for evolution to happen at a much quicker pace than it would with members potentially going on forever. You could say, its not until a species ability to gather experience is sufficiently developed, the benefits of longevity wont outweigh the use of well, mortality.

So what causes a few species to live that much longer than others? Old age does not seem to be limited by biology itself, but rather, by what process of acclimatization that species has gone through, right? So I ask this question: Could humanity then, even just theoretically, self-impose a set of limitations and circumstances, that would mimic the outcome of a natural process/setting, that previously granted biological immortality to the jellyfish?

If so, what kind of process would this be? Encouraging marriage later in life? Looking at old age and longevity as a preferable trait? To such a degree, that we eventually evolve people that just don't die of old age?

I would absolutely love input on this, for my project of course =)

posted about 8 years ago

Charlie‭

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