Meet the 200 year old
When we’re first introduced to Lesedi, she has the physical appearance of a 60 year old. That may sound strange, but in 2218, ageing, as we know it now, has been cured. Her great, great, great, great, great grandson, Sam, is quite used to the idea of radical life-extension (it’s the year 2218, after all). He’s more curious as to how Lesedi managed to plan for a much, much longer career, when the concept of money and work had changed so drastically over the years.
But is it scientifically possible to live to 200?
Dr Aubrey De Grey of the SENS Research Foundation is one of the anti-ageing pioneers that helped develop the first range of treatments to repair cell damage caused by ageing. This resulted in a generation of human beings who are still functioning at the same physical and mental capacity of a young adult, due to the wear and tear process not occurring. This research was not rooted in trying to make humans live forever, but rather in minimising the unwanted symptoms associated with old age.
Lesedi was one of the first participants to take part in a clinical trial for longevity treatments. She was considered a successful candidate for the trial because she tested positive for the FoxO3A gene, pre-eminent in most people who live over 100. At first, Lesedi only had a small chance of living much longer than anyone else. But, over time, new medical developments meant that she was likely to be physically and mentally healthy for an extraordinarily long time, especially if she paired it with a healthy diet and exercise.