The elixir of life has nothing to do with computers or with "downloadable consciousness."

Those are cunning to sell books, and Google.
Life will grow thanks to biotechnology and in particular thanks to the stem cells, the cells of the body that do not specialize.
Being undifferentiated, they may take the most diverse physiological functions as needed, and thus cure diseases and fight aging.
A recent study in Science speaks of a protein capable of reversing the effects of age in the heart, brain and skeletal muscle.
The result is stunning and, in some way, rather simple.
It is good to remember first of all, the paper published a year ago by the Harvard team.
They described the experiments conducted on mice seniors with one of those proteins known as growth factors, GDF11.
The GDF11 binds to stem cell receptors, influencing the evolution.
When it was realized that the level of GDF11 is reduced over the years, it has become important for stem cell research and anti-aging.
This protein also comes into play in a number of other healing processes.
The Harvard team used two ways to raise the level of GDF11 in elderly mice.
The first, surgically joining the circulatory systems of an old and a young mouse.
The second, simply by administering to mice of GDF11 injections.
The result is always the same: young hearts in old mice.
In particular, the regressed myocardial hypertrophy, or enlargement of the heart due to aging.
If we could use similar treatments in humans, we would have a key to the cardiac arrest care.
To the left of the reconstruction of blood vessels in the brain of an elderly mice, the right blood vessels of older mice with the new blood.
Picture: Lida Katsimpardi / Science The results on the heart were really unexpected.
Richard T. Lee, a cardiologist and co-author of the study published in 2013 in Nature said, "We saw him as a purely experimental tests useful to better understand cardiac aging.
We were very surprised when it worked. "
Compared to last year's study, that today has a greater extension: the motor operation (skeletal muscle) and improvement of smell, (the brain).
The functional improvements are important in both cases, but the effect is not limited to tissue regeneration.
"Compared to previous studies, showing the restoration of the function of muscle stem cells and tissue repair, in this study we have also noticed the DNA repair from damage caused by aging," he explained at a press conference Amy Wagers, lead author of study.
"In addition to improvement of non-manipulated muscles, there was a functional recovery.
Based on other studies, we believe that the accumulation of DNA damage in muscle stem cells can mean that the cells are unable to multiply effectively in mature muscle cells, a process required for adequate muscle repair. "
After removing the damaged genetic material, it is possible that the revitalized tissue begins to repair itself, as if it were young.
"We're not sure how or why this happens," says Wagers.
The genome of the interruptions, but we do not know whether this is an injury or a repair system.
At present the researchers are in talks with an investment company to obtain the financing necessary to conduct studies prior to human trials.
It seems it will take years, perhaps decades, before the GDF11 becomes a cure for the diseases of aging such as Alzheimer's and heart failure.
Maybe someday cure aging itself.

From Vice