Fountain of Youth: What If?

[SingingBear]

Science has been making leaps-and-bounds progress on the aging processes for some time now. And not just on things like alzheimer's, but on the actual decay of our cellular structures over time. So much so that some theorize (like Aubrey De Grey) that we will be achieving the abilities to radically prolong youth, health, and life within a few decades.

Now, I'm only a layman, but I'm a thinker. I had a boring shift today and spent the better part of 8 hrs at the prison thinking about the possibilities of what may come to be if we can live to 150, 200, or even thousands of years.

I've come up with my own theories about how such a "Fountain of Youth" might impact the human race and the planet and I've listened to some educated speculation online since I got home, but I'd like to know-- what do YOU think?

What moral issues might this raise? How about the problem of overpopulation? How about the environmental effect? How would this impact religion? What could this mean for us economically? If such breakthroughs can be achieved, who will have access to them-- the many or the few-- and what implications? Whatever questions arise or theories you may have, I am interested.

Thank you!