FILM "PATH TO IMMORTALITY" and a DEBATE

"Path to Immortality" or "Camino a la inmortalidad"
(Documental Cultural.es)  

'Path to immortality' is a documentary which through various scientific researches on aging that are being carried out in Spain, molecular biologists María Blasco and Manuel Serrano tell us how they have managed to create a "Triple" transgenic mouse to live longer. 

 

 

A DEBATE ABOUT THE FILM "PATH TO IMMORTALITY"

 

 

Inés vs Edgar

 

 

Inés: A few days ago, we watched a documentary in Biology class about immortality.
 

Edgar: That sounds interesting, what was it about?  

Inés: Well, you know that Genetic engineering enables scientists to create plants, animals and micro-organisms by manipulating genes in a way that does not occur naturally. The film tells us that the DNA has all the information about our body packed in pieces called genes. These genes have chromosomes and they  end with a part called telomeres.
 

Edgar:  Mm... A bit complicated but, what does this have to do with immortality?
 

Inés:  As we get older these telomeres get shorter and shorter, so scientists are trying to maintain our telomeres long to live longer.
 

Edgar:  But... how can they be sure that the experiment will work? I mean, isn't it dangerous to try it with humans?
 

Inés:  Well, they haven't tried anything with humans yet, because it can be dangerous, but they have done tests with mice.
 

Edgar: And have they got positive results?  

Inés: There is a mouse called “super p53” that has an extra p53 gene to prevent cancer. So, they did the experiment with its son, called 'Triple' that had inherited this “anti-cancer quality” from its dad and  scientists have given it a bigger quantity of 'telomerase' to make a cell live eternally. 

Edgar: Well, this is very interesting, but I think that they are doing something without sense because humans have to die, I mean, are they playing to be God?. Imagine that they achieve immortality for humans. No one would die, so at the end, we wouldn't have enough resources to feed everyone. Anyway do you think that these experiments will be compatible with humans?
 

 Inés: Well… technology evolves very fast.

 

Edgar: That's right. And finally do you think that people who live longer than 100 have something different in their cells?
  

Inés:  Yes. Those people have something different in their cells and also have a positive mind which helps them to live longer.
 

Edgar: That's an interesting point of view and we could be talking about it for hours, but I think we should stop now.