http://blog.wired.com/defense/2009/03/darpa-muscle-re.html

The first phase of the Pentagon's plan to regrow soldiers' limbs is complete; scientists managed to turn human skin into the equivalent of a blastema — a mass of undifferentiated cells that can develop into new body parts. Now, researchers are on to phase two: turning that cellular glop into a square inch of honest-to-goodness muscle tissue.

This brings to mind Aubry deGrey’s prophecy:

I expect many people alive today to live to 1000 years of age and to avoid age-related health problems even at that age.

Humourous interview with some good bits and inside it.

There's a new article at the Washington Post that talks about Aubrey de Grey's effort to end aging.  He has made the famous statement that the first person to live to 1000 years of age is alive today.

What if the only certainty is taxes?

How many people are in favor of malaria?  anyone?

Of course nobody thinks malaria is a good thing.  Well one of Aubrey's points is that human aging shares the primary negative characteristic with malaria which is that it KILLS people.  Only aging kills VASTLY MORE people.

Smart guy.  Compelling arguments.  Reasoned thinking.

Essentially, his argument is this.

The rate of improvement in therapies will stay ahead of the rate of aging.  You will get incrementally better treatment year over year, decade over decade and simply stay ahead of the curve.

Even without a radical revolutionary technology, the evolution of improved technologies will keep you ahead of the curve.