tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230194812011-12-14T18:33:45.991-08:00What to do and what to expect in the next hundred years.webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.comBlogger211100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1150022983444938142006-06-11T03:36:00.000-07:002006-06-11T10:29:04.416-07:00

In the last March 2006 issue of Scientific American appeared published a devastating article on cosmic rays and their implications for interplanetary space travel. Here over the earth surface we are shielded from extremely energetic particles. Our thick atmosfere and the Van Allen belts protect us from the damaging effects of fast charged particles that cross the vacuum that lies among the

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1147205333038233742006-05-09T13:03:00.000-07:002006-05-09T13:24:53.390-07:00

Some time ago, I posted a comment about a possible new therapy for Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria (HGPS). In a later post, I also pointed out that the study of HGPS and other progeroid syndromes has probably taught us all that they could. I didn't put it in words, but it was clear that I didn't expect any clues about anti-aging treatments coming from the study of these syndromes.Now I am happy to

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1145019814937715852006-04-14T05:43:00.000-07:002006-04-15T14:10:58.526-07:00

Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, is a 2003 Sci-Fi novel by Cory Doctorow that can be downloaded and read for free, has an interesting economic concept: whuffie.What is whuffie?Whuffie is reputation. Anyone can express his/her opinion about you, and that influences your whuffie count. The more whuffie you have, the more respected you are, and the more VIP treatment you will enjoy. Anyone can

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1144918902187214652006-04-13T01:48:00.000-07:002006-04-13T07:00:37.996-07:00

Some days ago I had the opportunity to talk to a top level expert in drug hepatotoxicity. He was invited by my company to take part in a scientific advisory board. I am not authorised to talk about what was discussed in those meetings, and I won't do it here. Apart from the professional discussions, I could chat with him about issues not related to my job. I knew from him that high doses of

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1144873662479811542006-04-12T12:59:00.000-07:002006-04-13T07:15:07.013-07:00

Let's suppose that you are enthusiastic about nanotechnology, but you are not rich.Let's suppose that you don't know much about molecular devices. Let's suppose that you are not already working in the field, but you have some time to spend in it, an a burning desire to see things moving. What can you do? Well, you can stay sat doing nothing and waiting for the future to happen. That's the

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1143751710713766692006-03-30T12:42:00.000-08:002006-03-30T12:48:30.743-08:00

Bandolier gives sound advice to improve health through simple life style changes. Do not miss the 10 point plan pdf. By following them you will be well at the tail of the distribution!

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1143238188901935312006-03-24T13:42:00.000-08:002006-03-24T14:09:49.056-08:00

During these last days I have been browsing across a number of transhumanist blogs and websites. The funny thing is that most of what can be found is just hype and unrealistic babble. Most of the people are just supporters. Transhumanism seems to be a heavily backed ideology, at least in verbal terms. However, there doesn't seem to be much real activity, at least from these enthusiastic

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1143150735608820862006-03-23T12:59:00.000-08:002006-03-23T13:55:41.020-08:00

As you probably know, at the beginning of this week there was a clinical trial that ended badly.An antibody called TGN1412, from a Biotech called TeGenero was tested on six healthy men. All of them fell very ill. At this moment, it is not clear if the violent reaction that the biological induced in the volunteers was due to a contaminated batch or to the drug itself. The drug, an anti CD28, was

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1142977814855810262006-03-21T13:44:00.000-08:002006-03-23T08:15:53.840-08:00

I have read in betterhumans that there is some interest in making cosmetic creams that would avoid telomer shortening, or that may be able to recover shortened telomeres in skin cells.Well, I do believe that there is a high probability of a company going bust if the only thing it can offer is a cosmetic cream based in telomer repair/maintenance.Telomer shortening is not some disgusting process

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1142374423583259002006-03-14T13:52:00.000-08:002006-03-14T14:13:45.630-08:00

Marshall Brain's Manna is a very interesting story about how technology can either slave us or free us. It's a very good reminder of some powerful ideas: Technology can make heaven in earth. Certain degrees of prosperity can only be attained in extremely high tech environments. Technology can make hell in earth, although low tech settings are also quite appropriate for spreading suffering.

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1142282376176756332006-03-13T12:38:00.000-08:002006-03-13T12:56:13.236-08:00

Some hours ago I went to the Nature website. To my surprise, I found a news article called "Fusion power gets slammed". In it, Nature's reporter Mark Peplow comments on the Science's policy forum I talked about in a previous post.It's always fun to watch a battle between Nature and Science.It seems pretty clear that a number of fusion experts don't agree with Parkins' ideas. There are statements

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1142170627539395472006-03-12T04:51:00.000-08:002006-03-12T12:08:14.793-08:00

A book by Charles Seife, entitled "Decoding the Universe: How the New Science of Information Is Explaining Everything in the Cosmos, from Our Brains to Black Holes", was commented in Betterhumans. In particular, the concept of the Cosmos as a big computer was highlighted.I don't know about the other ideas of the book, but at this moment of cosmic evolution I don't regard the "Universe as a

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1142167258994065662006-03-12T04:27:00.000-08:002006-03-12T04:40:59.003-08:00

A key question that appears in movies like "The Matrix" and alike is: What is real?, or What is reality? . An answer to that question is totally out of our reach, and not really useful. The appropriate question for me is:What is relevant? This question will always give us light about where we are and will lead us to a definite and suitable course of action. In the end, it doesn't matter if we are

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1142076629192032202006-03-11T03:15:00.000-08:002006-03-11T05:36:39.406-08:00

You may remember the movie "Back to the Future". At the end of it, "Doc" Brown returns from the future with his time machine, asking Marty to join in. As the car needs refueling for the flux capacitor, Doc puts some organic rubbish into the new Mr Fusion. They are ready to return to 2015.We already know that 2000 was far away from what most of us expected to be when we were kids (and from what

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1141939269274559732006-03-09T13:13:00.000-08:002006-03-09T13:22:36.630-08:00

Browsing through BetterHumans, I came across a blog entry (Who's who in biotech), which commented on a feature with the same name published in Nature Biotechnology.After reading the blog entry and the original feature, I couldn't help but to write this comment at that blog:Someone who changed everything was Craig Venter. He was enormously influencial before Celera, during his time at Celera, and

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1141771350478557642006-03-07T14:39:00.000-08:002006-03-11T03:15:46.526-08:00

As you probably know, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a highly used antioxidant. NAC is not a bogus medicine. Its reducing capacity makes it a valuable antidote of acetaminophen poisoning. Apart from its utility as mucolytic, NAC is a common ingredient of many “anti-aging pills”. The idea behind NAC as anti-aging agent is that it would protect the cells from oxidative stress. NAC is pretty safe, so it

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1141674637241903862006-03-06T11:49:00.000-08:002006-03-06T11:50:37.256-08:00

Life is possible because the millions of cells that compose our bodies agree to perform their roles. They do what they have to do at the precise place, and only at the right moment. Some important tasks that have to be precisely regulated are: Cell division: If a cell divides when it is not required, it may form an imbalance, leading to physical problems (as with solid tumours),

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1141591483903078632006-03-05T12:42:00.000-08:002006-03-11T03:07:48.380-08:00

In the past I was very hopeful about results coming from studies performed with progeroid syndromes. I expected them to shed some light into the processes that are involved in normal senescence. Nowadays, however, I believe that they have taught us all that the could. I think that aging is due to two different causes: Cancer avoidance systems: Cell cycle arrest, and preventive apoptosis.

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1141590998245517092006-03-05T12:35:00.000-08:002006-03-05T23:22:10.820-08:00

Kids with of Hutchinson-Gilford progeria (HGPS) suffer a fast and devastating kind of accelerating aging syndrome. They experience many symptoms common to normal senility, as atherosclerosis, osteoporosis and hair loss. The life expectancy of HGPS children is extremely short. Most of them die in their early teens. The gene responsible of typical HGPS has been identified in 2003. HGPS is due to

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1141250083750459442006-03-01T13:49:00.000-08:002006-03-01T14:21:56.666-08:00

None. And all.The same as anyone out there. If you are talking about academic credentials, you may be interested in going through my profile. Apart from what appears there, I have read quite a number of papers and books of almost anything relevant to the issue, and played with some of the most exciting technologies that are around the corner.But, of course, in the end nobody can predict what will

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23019481.post-1141249770007779262006-03-01T13:33:00.000-08:002006-03-11T03:06:02.733-08:00

DeltaBoost is about the future. In a very simple format –relevant news, plus short essays and comments on relevant topics- this blog goes through any aspect related to the next hundred years counting from now. In DeltaBoost you can expect... ... to find news on relevant inventions, events or discoveries. The news will be always commented. Not all relevant news will be presented here. The more

webgleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482925842838857841noreply@blogger.com0