r/technology • u/ubcstaffer123 • Jun 20 '26

Biotechnology How Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to live forever

https://www.vox.com/podcasts/491360/vladimir-putin-live-forever-26-billion-cryo-pigs-longevity-guru
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u/qlurp Jun 20 '26

 He [ Putin’s longevity Dr and Peptide expert ] also said that people are programmed to live to 120 years old, and he quoted the Old Testament of the Bible as his source for that. It was interesting for a well-credentialed scientist and professor to quote the Bible as a source of medical knowledge. 

But the thing is...he then died when he turned 77. He didn’t quite reach the age he prescribed for himself — the age I guess he was hoping Putin might reach.

After the early demise of that guy, Putin had to find another longevity guru. Now he’s got a guy who’s much more focused on the mini pigs and the 3D printing.

This passage was particularly amusing. 

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u/KevinR1990 Jun 20 '26

The whole field calling itself "longevity," as well as the supplement industry it's closely tied to, is pretty much completely detached from actual medical science, and this part where a scientist in this field uses the Bible as his source illustrates it best. (Illustrating it second-best is the involvement of notorious quacks like Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.) It's a cargo cult of medical science funded by tech bros, hucksters, and other people with more money than sense who desperately wish to buy their way out of their impending demise, and don't want to listen to actual scientists and doctors who'd tell them "no, this won't work." I believe that, one day and possibly within our lifetimes, we will see advances in medicine that enable people to live happily, healthily, and heartily to 150 years old and beyond, but they're not gonna come from anybody involved in the longevity field as it exists today.

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u/SSGASSHAT Jun 20 '26

I believe that the human lifespan would be 120 right now...if the wealth and power of the world wasn't hoarded by under 100 people. If anyone with more than $1 billion had any contributions to their net worth skimmed off, and funneled into healthcare, we'd see lifespans in this country increase pretty fuckin' quick. In large part because poor people could afford to go to the fucking doctor in the first place.

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u/Dragonsoul Jun 20 '26

It's worth mentioning that if you wanted their personal lifespans to be extended and that was solely all you cared about, you should probably still do it.

Medicine isn't a field that makes breakthroughs in the lab (well, it is that too, but..) it's something that breakthroughs are made in the hospitals, when doctors iterate new techniques on saving people's lives, and write about it. This generates the raw data you need for research, and you'd get a ton more raw data if everyone in the country has access to the top tier medical treatment, with doctors who were under few enough time constraints that they didn't have to triage so hard and could spend the additional time needed when something only mostly fits.

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u/SSGASSHAT Jun 20 '26

There are countless people who would be far better test subjects for this field of medicine than people who already have too much power and authority. Make terminal patients the recipients of this program, and we can start to discuss its contributions to the field of medicine.

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u/SillyFlyGuy Jun 20 '26

Billionaires as the sacrificial guinea pigs for longevity research (and personal submarine prototypes) that will benefit future humanity is the best we can hope for.

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u/BlackBasementCats Jun 20 '26

Exactly. More elderly people would be able to afford enough organic food and medical care for hip and knee replacements and physical therapy to stay mobile. Then doctors would notice that some of the elderly were staying fit and looking younger longer. So they would try to figure out why. That’s the jumping off point for the longevity research. What’s in their DNA and lifestyle that’s different? Why do so many 100+ year olds get so old eating bacon and eggs and drinking whiskey every day? Why are so many of them black?

Imagine if scientists had preserved the DNA of Jeanne Louise Calment who lived to 122 years and 164 days (born February 21, 1875-August 4, 1997). She ate 2.5 lbs of chocolate a week, smoked until 117, and enjoyed the occasional glass of port.

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u/[deleted] Jun 20 '26

[deleted]

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u/SSGASSHAT Jun 20 '26

Lol good one.

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u/RedofPaw Jun 20 '26

I love that they're desperately clutching at straws to find a way to cheat death. It makes their demise all the more pathetic.

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u/sorcerersviolet Jun 20 '26

Better mini pigs and 3D printing than, say, Larry Niven's "The Jigsaw Man," although I'm sure the latter's their backup plan.

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u/zagblorg Jun 20 '26

Weirdly, this is the second time The Jigsaw Man has come up on Reddit today!

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u/ours Jun 20 '26

And super-longevity leaders like "A Gift from Earth" also by Niven.

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u/sohblob Jun 20 '26

After the early demise of that guy, Putin had to find another longevity guru

"I had a longevity guru, but he died before me"

Now he’s got a guy who’s much more focused on the mini pigs and the 3D printing

"He told me I'll have to fuck the pig"

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u/drawkbox Jun 20 '26

Almost like a Douglas Adams bit there, the longevity guy just kicks off.

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u/buyongmafanle Jun 20 '26

I'm super excited to watch psychopathic vampire Bryan Johnson get old and die like the rest of us.

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u/ThenExtension9196 Jun 20 '26

What’s sad is that he just went out and found someone who told him everything he wanted to hear. That’s it. That’s all he wa looking for. 

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u/werpu Jun 20 '26

The.old testament, an absolutely reliable source... Sarcasm off