Prediction market: Will John Wentworth's Gears of Aging series hold up in 2033?

post by tailcalled · 2023-02-25T20:15:11.535Z · LW · GW · 4 comments

This is a link post for https://manifold.markets/tailcalled/will-john-wentworths-gears-of-aging?r=dGFpbGNhbGxlZA

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comment by Shmi (shminux) · 2023-02-25T21:29:50.129Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

Tried reading the sequence, each post is long with no good summary, but from what I managed to understand, it lists a number of general factors, and has no plausible answer to the usual question, what is it in the DNA that makes the cat lifespan 30-50% more than the dog one? So, I am not sure what exactly should "hold up" in 2033.

Replies from: tailcalled
comment by tailcalled · 2023-02-25T21:37:25.483Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

So, I am not sure what exactly should "hold up" in 2033.

The two takeaways/updates I wrote in the market description:

  1. There might be 1 or a small number of factors that can be intervened on to cure aging.
  2. Curing these factors will not just stop people from aging further but also reverse them to good young health.

 

Tried reading the sequence, each post is long with no good summary, but from what I managed to understand, it lists a number of general factors, and has no plausible answer to the usual question, what is it in the DNA that makes the cat lifespan 30-50% more than the dog one?

Ultimately we still don't yet know what the root cause of aging is. If it's the transposon hypothesis, then presumably the answer is "cats have fewer transposons/better control over their transposons than dogs". Otherwise it might be something else.

Replies from: shminux
comment by Shmi (shminux) · 2023-02-25T22:03:13.863Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

OK, so a "small number of factors" that can be addressed in some way to extend the lifespan beyond the current "natural" one, got it. I guess it depends on whether these factors, if any, are weaved into the DNA in a way that they cannot be disentangled without turning a dog into a cat.

comment by Nisan · 2024-02-22T21:14:45.184Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

For reference, here's the Gears of Aging [? · GW] sequence.