Category Archives: Immortality

Bryan Johnson is a software entrepreneur who

Johnson is just one of many ber rich people spending billions to prevent themselves from growing old. But eventually, they may run up against a fierce obstacle in their quest for eternal youth: the laws of physics. So is immortality possible?

The thermal motion of thousands of water molecules smashing into our cells molecular machines can break the bonds between molecules. Over time, this wears out our cells.

There are a few possible reasons why we age. The evolutionary argument is that each generation of creatureswhether human, animal, or plantmust grow old and die to make way for a new generation. In that case, the fact that our bodies stop repairing themselves at a point isnt a design flaw, but a feature.

Alternately, or possibly in tandem, is the wearing-out theory of aging. There are various molecular machines, that do everything from replicating cells to moving nutrients where they need to be in our bodies, biophysicist and nanomechanics expert Peter Hoffmann, Ph.D, eloquently explains in an article for Nautilus Magazine. As these machines go about their business, they are surrounded by thousands of water molecules, which randomly crash into them a trillion times a second. This is what physicists euphemistically call thermal motion. Violent thermal chaos would be more apt, he writes.

This thermal motion, Hoffman says, provides a source of energy that these molecular machines can harness for their work; but it is also responsible for breaking bonds between molecules. When he and his colleagues replicated this action in a lab, they found the survival probability of the bonds plotted against applied force looks just like human survival plotted versus agewhich suggests a possible connection between breaking protein bonds and agingand between aging and thermal motion.

In other words, just through living, we experience basic wear and tear. Unlike inanimate objects, we can repair our systems after such damage, but there are still limits.

Leonard Hayflick, Ph.D, has worked as professor of anatomy and microbiology, and is among the foremost experts on aging. He developed what is known as the Hayflick Limitthat is, the number of times human DNA cells can replicate before they become senescent, or stop replicating and take on a different form associated with age. After a lifetime of study, Hayflick supports the wear-and-tear explanation of aging.

Everything in the universe ages for the same reason your car is brilliant because it knows how to age without any instructions, either in the car itself or in the blueprints, Hayflick says in a 2015 presentation on biological aging held at the University of California, San Francisco. So why is the second law of thermodynamics the probable cause of aging? It governs the behavior of all molecules; it can explain the ultimate cause of all other theories of aging; it is testable using current technologies; its falsifiable; it is universal and applies to both animate and inanimate objects.

Entropy is the condition of things moving from a more-ordered state to a less-ordered state; Rudolf Clausius first postulated the concept in the 1850s. The second law of thermodynamics, the law of entropy, states that if the physical process is irreversible, the entropy of the system and the environment must increase; the final entropy must be greater than the initial entropy.

For instance, when you eat an apple, the fruit starts out in a low-entropy state, and its entropy increases as you chew it, digest it, and incorporate it into your bodys fuel system. Entropy increases among billions of different molecular processes in our complex bodily systems. The longer you live, the more entropy you will have experienced, and each new occasion of entropy can create a slew of new entropic processes, in turn.

Some of the damage that occurs in our bodies can be reversed, but with some 37 trillion different cells of 200 different types all affecting one another, there are cascading impacts. Your bodys repair systems simply cannot keep up, catching and reversing every last bit of molecular damage.

Your body is a hierarchical network of interlocking systems where everything acts with everything in a very complicated way, Hoffmann tells Popular Mechanics. If your DNA is a bit damaged, it affects the repair mechanisms, which can get a bit slower. This builds up. In principle, you could fix everything, but in practice, its just not possible, because of the complexity of the system. Recent studies have shown, for example, that transcription of DNA into proteins is compromised as organisms age. Since proteins do most of the work in cells and are responsible for the structure and function of the tissues, that can result in what we experience as aging.

Could blood transfusions from a young body increase an older persons lifespan? While research with mice shows a life-lengthening effect, the findings dont necessarily translate to humans.

Obviously, if you live in such a way that you reduce damage to your cells and organsyoure not sedentary, you dont drink too much, you provide adequate nutrition for your body to run onyou slow down the aging process, because you arent overtaxing the bodys ability to repair itself. Some scientists have found older mice that receive blood transfusions from young mice live longer, though the findings dont necessarily translate to humans.

But are there other ways humans can systematically slow aging? Yes, to a point, Hoffmann says.

Cooler temperatures sometimes help. Low-calorie diets can, too. Research on nematodes and mice show that exposure to medium-static magnetic fields might slow aging in the whole system. However, other studies show that exposure to electromagnetic fields can accelerate aging; scientists are still exploring the factors that affect these varied results. Aging, Hoffmann acknowledges, is a very complex process.

You can take as much vitamin C, and B, and A, eat all the good fruits, live in a beautiful place and meditate every day and do your exercises, and if youre lucky, maybe you reach 110 years old, Hoffmann says, but not 160. Though the human lifespan has doubled over the past century, thanks to improvements in hygiene, medicine, nutrition, and other factors, most scientists believe were unlikely to surpass the upper lifespan limit Jeanne Calment set in 1997 when she died at 122.

On the other hand, given our size, the human lifespan already far surpasses what it should logically be. With some notable exceptions, longevity often corresponds with the size of the animal. A mouse lives for two years, on average, while elephants live to 60, and blue whales swim on until age 90. With that in mind, we should top out at around 40 years of age, as most people did before about the 20th century. Animals in the wild seldom grow old because they die from predation, disease, or starvation long before they have a chance to develop inflammation and other issues of cellular aging.

Is It Ethical to Spend Billions to Live Forever?

Theres an ethical issue to the billions invested in making rich people live longer, too, Hoffmann notes. While their discoveries might help all people live longer, theres a vast disparity between how the rich and the not-so-rich will experience those extra years. The U.S. has a uniquely negative perspective on age and dying. Though it is one of the richest countries, life expectancy in the U.S. ranks 43rd in the world.

And why is it going down? Hoffmann asks. Its because were not setting up our society to be aging friendly at all. ... We put more stress on people all the time, our healthcare system is inefficient and often inaccessible, we dont have the physical environment to exercise properly, good food is expensive, and bad food is cheap. We put chemicals on everything. ... I live in Florida, and people put piles of chemicals on their lawns. You dont see insects anymore.

On top of that, most people dont have retirement savings; U.S. Social Security is rarely enough to live on, and ageism bars older people from employment. Though age can come with advantages, such as wisdom borne of experience and a sense of peace and happiness that replaces the anxiety of youth, these things are seldom valued as much as elastic skin and physical prowess.

And since climate change is set to make some places uninhabitable within the next 30 years, and rates of anxiety and depression are skyrocketing, it might be worth putting those billions into making life better for people in the years they do have.

Studies point out that being old is the greatest predictor of developing a fatal disease; but aging itself cant be a diseasediseases have causes, and are not universal. Aging is universal to all living things, and its only cause is time. The risk of death increases as one grows old, but the risk of death is 100 percent for all things that are alive.

People living in Blue Zonesplaces like Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Nicoya, Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, Californiatend to experience uniform longevity, and have the highest rates of centenarians, or people who reach the age of 100 years or more. Locals in Blue Zones inadvertently follow lifestyles that adhere to four rules:

Those living in Blue Zones do not have special diets or treatments or supplements. But theyre not really trying to live a long time. And theyre definitely not trying to stop aging.

Bryan Johnson did receive blood transfusions from his son, just like the mice that researchers studied in the lab. He doesnt do it anymore, Johnson says, because there was no detectable benefit. He is reportedly showing several markers of being youngerincluding more youthful bones and more nighttime erections.

But now, Johnson has a new mission: not dying. Ever.

He thinks dying is pass, unnecessary. And most of Johnsons life is structured to avoid anything that could contribute to the bodily entropy that leads to cascading molecular failures in the bodysunlight, pizza, margaritas, staying up late, arguably some of the greatest pleasures in life. One reporter for TIME magazine reported visiting Johnson at his home and laboratory, where he gave her a taste of the chocolate he allows himself. It had been un-dutched, stripped of heavy metals, and sourced only from regions with high polyphenol density. In her words, it tastes like a foot.

For some, the pursuit of slowingand maybe even reversingaging might be a passion project, like being able to bench press 250 pounds or play Paganinis 24 Caprices on the violin. Perhaps one day, well discover quantum aging, and then all the rules will be out the window.

But until then, go ahead and indulge in the little entropic luxurieslike a nice red wine or a crusty baguettethat make the life you do have worth living.

Susan Lahey is a journalist and writer whose work has been published in numerous places in the U.S. and Europe. She's covered ocean wave energy and digital transformation; sustainable building and disaster recovery; healthcare in Burkina Faso and antibody design in Austin; the soul of AI and the inspiration of a Tewa sculptor working from a hogan near the foot of Taos Mountain. She lives in Porto, Portugal with a view of the sea.

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Immortality Is PossibleWe Just Have to Overcome One Stubborn Law of Physics - Popular Mechanics

Avatar Kyoshi is widely regarded as one of the strongest incarnations of the Avatar. She was decisive in her role as the peacekeeper between the spirits and the four nations. As the Earth Bending Avatar, she was the predecessor to Avatar Roku, the founder of the Dai Li and the Kyoshi Warriors, and lived up to the age of 230 years.

At 230, Kyoshi was the most long-lived human that we have seen in the show. While earthbenders tend to have an unusually long lifespan in Avatar: The Last Airbender (such as Bumi still being one of the strongest Earthbenders at 112 years old), the novels might have revealed how Kyoshi might have unlocked the power to live for as long as she did.

Lao Ge was a spiritually inclined assassin who ran with the Flying Opera Company, a gang of criminals that operated during the early tenure of Avatar Kyoshi. When it was revealed to the world that Avatar Kyoshi was indeed the Master of the Four Elements, she would join the Flying Opera Company and be taken as a disciple by Lao Ge.

Lao Ge usually disguised himself as a good-for-nothing drunkard but claimed that he was almost 4000 years old. This was never corroborated in the novels, or the show, only hinted at from time to time. The creators of the show have never confirmed this claim in any of the interviews.

There is a possibility that Lao Ge is a hundred percent legitimate, and Kyoshi would be the best testament to that, given she lived longer than an average human being. Kyoshis spiritual training, in part, came from Lao Ge, which was also the secret of his immortality.

The manner in which immortality works in the world of Avatar is through meditation. Lao Ge alleged that he kept his body in order by meditation and keeping his body in alignment with the processes that it needed to keep going. Kyoshi could have learned this to extend her life till the age of 230. She is also rather youthful-looking compared to other Avatars who died of old age, This would point to the fact that Kyoshi probably had some juice left in the tank, but for whatever reason decided to give up immortality.

One section of the fandom speculates that it was all because of her attachment to Rangi, the Fire Nation noble who would become her friend, and later her companion. Kyoshi also had a slew of friends, who she would have to watch die as the time passed.

This could have led her to reevaluate her stance on immortality, eventually letting go of the need, sensing that she is only putting herself through pain by holding on to life. It is also possible that she realized that the power of immortality was not something she needed, given the Avatar spirit effectively renders each Avatar immortal (in a manner of speaking). She could have also decided to not outlive her daughter, and give up immortality to pass on peacefully.

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Most The Last Airbender Fans Don't Know Only 1 Avatar Knew a Secret Immortality Technique She Learned from a ... - FandomWire

Published Apr 8, 2024

Last updated Apr 8, 2024

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is undoubtedly reshaping various aspects of our lives. While some may find the rise of AI unsettling, it undeniably introduces an array of fascinating possibilities. One tech expert, Artur Sychov, was motivated by personal tragedy, leading to the development of a groundbreaking AI tool that addresses a universal human desire.

Artur was devastated when his father was diagnosed with cancer, realizing that a day would come when he could no longer communicate with him. Recognizing the significance of the father-son bond, Artur aspired to find a solution that would allow him and others to have conversations with their deceased loved ones.

Enter Live Forever, a remarkable virtual reality tool, which Artur has spent years developing. This cutting-edge technology employs AI to create digital avatars capable of replicating a persons voice, gestures, and mannerisms. The tool can achieve this incredible feat with just half an hour of observation.

Live Forever aims to provide individuals with the opportunity to interact with deceased loved ones through avatars that will exist online indefinitely. This concept parallels the dystopian world depicted in the Black Mirror episode Be Right Back, where Domhnall Gleesons character returns from the dead as an AI chatbot.

While Artur remains optimistic about the possibilities offered by Live Forever, cyber psychologist Elaine Kasket raises valid concerns about the potential drawbacks. She suggests that the tool may exploit our anxieties surrounding mortality to sell products.

In response to these concerns, Artur highlights the tools capacity to truly capture the essence of a person. You can get to know the person. You can hear their voice You get to talk to them about different topics, and you get to inject a little bit of their personality, he explains. As testing continues, the avatars are expected to become even more precise replicas of their real-life counterparts.

Live Forever is currently in the testing phase, with Arturs company, Somnium Space, leading the trials. Somnium Space is a 3D metaverse platform that allows users to exist as avatars in a virtual world, engaging in a range of activities, including gaming and art creation.

Live Forever is a revolutionary virtual reality tool that utilizes AI technology to create digital avatars that replicate a persons voice, gestures, and mannerisms, allowing individuals to interact with deceased loved ones online.

The tool requires only 30 minutes of observation to gather enough data to create a digital avatar. This technology aims to accurately simulate the personality and likeness of the deceased.

Live Forever was developed by Artur Sychov, a technology entrepreneur, and the CEO of Somnium Space, a company specializing in virtual reality experiences.

Cyber psychologist Elaine Kasket has expressed concerns that the tool may exploit peoples existential fears and anxieties surrounding mortality as a means of selling its products.

Currently, Live Forever is in the testing phase, and Arturs company, Somnium Space, is leading the trials. The official launch date has yet to be announced.

Sources: somniumspace.com

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping various industries, including the virtual reality (VR) sector. The emergence of tools like Live Forever is a testament to the capabilities of AI in creating immersive experiences. With the potential to replicate a persons voice, gestures, and mannerisms, this technology opens up new possibilities for communication and interaction, even with deceased loved ones.

The VR industry is projected to experience significant growth in the coming years. According to Market Research Future, the global virtual reality market is expected to reach a value of $120 billion by 2026, with a compound annual growth rate of 42.2% during the forecast period. This growth is attributed to the increasing adoption of VR technology across various sectors, including gaming, entertainment, healthcare, and education.

However, the development of tools like Live Forever also raises important ethical and psychological concerns. Cyber psychologist Elaine Kasket has highlighted the potential exploitation of peoples fears and anxieties surrounding mortality. The fear of death is a deeply-rooted human emotion, and the use of AI to create avatars of deceased loved ones may have unintended consequences, such as manipulating peoples emotions for commercial purposes.

As AI technology continues to evolve, it is crucial to address these concerns and ensure responsible and ethical use of virtual reality tools. Transparency and consent are vital in providing users with control over their personal data and the avatars created in their likeness. Additionally, ongoing research and discussions in the field of cyberpsychology can help understand the psychological impact of interacting with AI-generated avatars.

The development and testing of Live Forever are being conducted by Artur Sychovs company, Somnium Space. Somnium Space is a 3D metaverse platform that allows users to exist as avatars in a virtual world, engaging in various activities such as gaming and art creation. This platform is part of the larger VR industry, which continues to innovate and expand its applications.

For more information about Somnium Space and the development of Live Forever, you can visit their official website at somniumspace.com.

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Revolutionizing Grief: How AI is Redefining the Concept of Immortality - elblog.pl

The Naruto series had diverse characters, and some dreamt about living forever. Orochimaru and Madara Uchiha are two of these characters. They both tried hard to find ways to achieve immortality using their knowledge and power. However, an Akatsuki member named Hidan already had the answer.

Hidan's immortality came from his devotion to a religion that worships a god named Jashin. This god rewarded Hidan with the ability to live forever as long as he kept made sacrifices. So, why didn't Orochimaru or Madara do what Hidan did? It seems like it would have been an easier path to what they wanted. But when upon taking a closer, it is not that simple.

Disclaimer: This post contains spoilers and reflects the author's personal opinion. Reader's discretion is advised.

Even though Hidan's method of immortality is unique, it's also restricted and comes with conditions. It's not about power, talent, or understanding complex jutsu; it is solely about his strict religious practices. Hidan is a devout follower of the deity Jashin, and he performs human sacrifices as a part of his religious rituals to do Jashin's bidding. His actions please Jashin, and in return, Hidan is granted an ability that can be seen as immortality.

In battle, Hidan can endure any devastating attack. He can be decapitated, crushed, or stabbed and yet continue to live. This immunity to fatal injuries comes incredibly handy during fight sequences. However, Hidan is not immune to time or neglect. He ages like everyone else, and his body gets weaker over time.

Additionally, if Hidan fails to feed himself or take care of his basic needs, he can die. His immortality doesn't include resistance to the natural human aging process or protection from neglecting basic human needs like food and water.

While Hidan's way appears to be a relatively effortless method to achieve immortality, it doesn't fit the bill for what Orochimaru and Madara envisioned.

For Madara, immortality was not an end in itself. He had tailored a grand scheme, the Moon's Eye Plan, aimed toward global domination rather than a quest for an endless lifespan. His path to apparent 'immortality' was lined with decisions rooted in precise timings and accumulation of power rather than the simple favor of an alien god.

On the other hand, Orochimaru desired immortality as a path to amass a wealth of abilities and knowledge he could acquire only through gaining control of different bodies.

For him, immortality did not mean a static existence within the confines of a single, aging body, something that Hidan's method necessitated. He wanted the liberty to change bodies and, thus, inherit diverse abilities. In Orochimaru's relentless quest for knowledge, following a religious path akin to Hidan was not an appealing option.

In conclusion, while attaining immortality via Hidan's method might have appeared smoother and easier, it was not in concert with the ambitions and requirements of Orochimaru and Madara. Both desired much more than bare immortality. In Naruto, Orochimaru pursued an endless stream of knowledge and power, while Madara desired complete domination.

The pursuit of immortality was merely a part of their more extensive plans, and they sought it in ways that could align well with their ultimate ambitions. Hidan's method of achieving eternal life, predicated on devout religious indulgence and a constrained existence, didn't cater to their more profound aspirations.

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Naruto: Orochimaru and Madara could have achieved immortality easier if an Akatsuki member helped them - Sportskeeda

WARNING: SPOILERS FOR ONE PIECE CHAPTER #1111

Luffy and his Gear 5 form have taken on several of One Piece's most powerful foes, but the Five Elders present a new challenge by seemingly being immortal, a power that's been explained in the series past. Egghead Island is currently experiencing the culmination of several of the series' biggest mysteries, including one of One Piece's most anticipated battles against the Highest Authorities of the World Governmentfigures who all could have used a particular Devil Fruit to gain immortality.

Elder Saint Jaygarcia Saturn arrived on the island and home of One Piece's smartest man, Dr.Vegapunk, to ensure the doctor was properly dealt with for his crimes. As the situation on Egghead grew beyond his control, Saturn summoned the other Elders to help prevent Luffy and Dr.Vegapunk's secrets from escaping the island. In chapter #1111, the Five Elders have suffered so much damage that even Gear 5 Luffy claims they are immortal, which is not entirely impossible.

An ability that grants a character eternal life is possible in One Piece with the help of the Op-Op No Mi (aka the Operation Devil Fruit). The current wielder, Trafalgar Law, is not the first person in the franchise to have the fruit. This is the first part of the puzzle explaining how the Five Elders could have obtained immortality.

Law's complex Devil Fruit gives him a wide range of abilities that have allowed him to perform outrageous feats like flipping massive naval warships and dramatically altering the bodies of his foes. However, he was force-fed the fruit as a young child in a desperate bid to prevent the vile Donquixote Doflamingo from getting his hands on it. Doflamingo's desire for the fruit's power does not stem from the abilities that Law has displayed in the series so far. Instead, he wanted to take advantage of its ultimate ability to sacrifice its user to grant another person immortality.

Doflamingo's kind-hearted brother, Rosinante, was murdered by the despicable One Piece villain in an attempt to save Law. The kind soul's plan to steal the Op-Op Devil Fruit in order to cure a young Law's fatal lead poisoning was met with several road bumps. After many unforeseen setbacks, Law had to eat the Devil Fruit and watch his closest companion, Donquixote Rosinante, killed before him. Since then, Law has earned his freedom and his revenge against Doflamingo. Still, his Devil Fruit abilities are expected to play a role in One Piece's story before it concludes, if they haven't already.

Being given the Op-Op fruit entrusted a tragic fate to Law. While author Eiichiro Oda may provide the fan-favorite character with a happy ending, a common narrative principle known as Chekhov's gun says otherwise. The principle insinuates that when crafting a story, each element introduced should have a reason it's introduced. So when an important story element like immortality is brought into the story, it must eventually prove necessary to the over-arching plot, or else it would be a lingering and unsatisfying plot device. However, Egghead Island might have finally seen the Op-Op Fruit's immortality in action.

Only one Devil Fruit of a particular kind can simultaneously exist in One Piece's world. Dr.Vegapunk created a single exception by cloning Kaido's Fish-Fish Fruit, Azure Dragon Model Devil Fruit. Still, normally, the abilities of a Fruit user can only belong to one individual until they pass away. The deceased person's Devil Fruit then returns to the world, in a currently unexplained process, so that another person can eat the fruit and gain its abilities. The Op-Op Fruit and its ultimate sacrificial immortality ability has likely been used before, at least five times.

For hundreds of years, the top ruling class of One Piece's world, the Celestial Dragons, have controlled countless slaves and force-fed them Devil Fruits for their twisted enjoyment. The overly entitled and cruel villains of One Piece are guilty of the worst crimes imaginable. It's not unthinkable to guess that the Celestial Dragons have forced slaves to sacrifice their lives to make themselves immortal, especially those who operate among the World Government's Highest Authority: The Five Elders.

Saint Saturn has proved his standing as one of One Piece's final villains. Abilities like disintegrating anything he touches with a powerful acid and spitting projectiles with the explosive force reminiscent of Oppenheimer's first nuclear bomb test make Saturn arguably more fearsome than Kaido was. However, his destructive capabilities are only part of the intimidation factor the Elders exude, as they have shown capable of tanking Luffy's strongest Gear 5 attacks and can quickly regenerate all the damage they have received so far. It is such a ridiculous feat that it even made Luffy retreat while saying, "Let's hurry! This won't matter...they're immortal!!!"

After the events of chapter #1111, it seems increasingly likely that each of the Five Elders has had the immortal procedure performed on them. Their ability to withstand attacks and regenerate lost limbs is unlike anything the series has seen. Another popular theory suggests that the Elders are not Fruit users but actually Devils or Demons. As displayed in the chapter, their inhuman feats of offense and defense explain how such a force has stayed in power for so long, longer than a typical human's lifespan.

As revealed in One Piece chapter #761, the Op-Op user must have extensive medical science knowledge to use it effectively and sacrifice themselves to use the Immortality Operation. The past users are currently a mystery, but the user before Law was known as a legend in the medical field for curing several deadly diseases. Once they perished, the Op-Op Devil Fruit found its way into the hands of a former Marine and father of X. Drake, Diez Barrels, who lost his life to the Donquixote family. This may be the first time the Fruit has escaped the Celestial Dragon's clutches.

If the Elders had been able to secure the Fruit and know where to find it once it was used to grant immortality to one of them, they could have continuously used the Op-Op Fruit until the it was removed from their control. The process would have taken many years to train each successor and the lives of those successors to accomplish. This seems in line with One Piece's cruel Celestial Dragons and their World Government. However, why only stop with making the Five Elders immortal?

For a good portion of One Piece's epic tale, audiences believed that the Five top-ranking Celestial Dragons were the ones controlling the world and enforcing the dark secrets of its past. That all changes in chapter #908 when the mysterious figure, Imu, appears and sits upon the Empty Throne that rests at the center of the world in the Celestial Dragon's headquarters. The Five Elders all bent a knee and have been more than happy to carry out the commands of the mysterious and terrifying ruler of One Piece's world, someone who is more than likely immortal as well.

With the cruel abuse of innocent lives and overwhelming control of the world's resources, the Celestial Dragons have been able to do almost anything for decades. By using the Op-Op Fruit and sacrificing its users over a long stretch of time, many of the World Government's most respected members could have all been granted immortality. If that is the case, it will be challenging to topple the world order and free its many people from the oppression that Imu and the Five Elders have held for so long. It's setting up a stunning final saga for One Piece's story.

Read the One Piece manga on Manga Plus and Viz Media

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Created by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece is a multimedia franchise that began as a manga series and follows the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates as led by Monkey D. Luffy. Luffy, an enthusiastic pirate with a thirst for adventure, is afflicted by a mysterious curse that gives him various powers he uses to protect himself and his friends. The manga eventually gave way to the anime series, with the two being some of history's longest-running anime and manga series. Along with over fifty video games made over the years, the series entered the live-action world with Netflix's 2023 adaptation.

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One Piece's Final Villains Are Officially Immortal (And The Series Already Explained Why) - Screen Rant

A wonderful sporting gesture from Jared Campbell may just have made Jasmin Paris history-making Barkley Marathons finish a fraction less challenging.

Earlier today Paris became the first woman to ever finish the infamous event, one of the most brutal ultra marathons in the world, which is dubbed The Race That Eats Its Young.

And the margins were tight. She had 60 hours to complete the extreme 100 miles and did it with less than two minutes to spare.

Until this year only 17 people, all men, had previously managed the feat. Its an extreme physical and mental challenge which contains as much elevation as climbing and descending Mount Everest twice from sea level.

But British runner Paris, a mum with two young children who is also a small animal vet and research scientist, had already produced a ground-breaking performance when she became the first female to complete four 20-mile loops at this years race but there was still one to go.

Anyone who gets to that point and only a handful do, some years none go out in alternate clockwise / anti-clockwise order so that they are not running together.

Clockwise is considered the slightly less difficult option but only the first to head out can choose it as did eventual first finisher Ihor Verys in this years race.

Campbell, an American with whats now an unrivalled record at the Barkley, had come into the inter-loop camp almost exactly 10 minutes ahead of Paris and knew that if he stayed in front of her then he too would be going in a clockwise direction.

But as the video below shows he made one of the great sporting gestures by seemingly offering Paris the choice, underlining the incredible camaraderie between the runners. Indeed rather than a battle between each other its more about them versus the race.

And dont for a minute think Campbell didnt have a huge amount at stake himself as he was aiming for what would be an unprecedented fourth finish at the race.

Which he duly achieved.

Absolute legends both and another absorbing chapter in the remarkable folklore of the Barkley Marathons.

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One of the great sporting gestures: How Jared helped Jasmin to Barkley Marathons immortality - Run247.com

Highlights

One Piece is currently in the Final Saga, and fans are incredibly excited to see the major developments that the story has seen over the course of the last few months. Currently, the Egghead Island arc is going on with full intensity, and that means the major villains of the story are finally getting quite a lot of focus. Of course, there is no villain in the story as great as the Five Elders, and these monstrously powerful individuals are at the center of attention.

Among the many incredible abilities of these monsters, the most interesting one is the ability to regenerate and there appears to be no limit to how much they can utilize this power.

Fans got to see the Five Elders in action on Egghead Island quite a lot. From the very beginning of the arc, the Five Elders were heavily involved in the main plot of the story. One of them, Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, was deeply involved in the Egghead Island Arc, as he served the role of one of the primary antagonists. Jaygarcia Saturn was with the Marines, and his goal was to ensure the elimination of Dr. Vegapunk and the successful completion of the mission that was assigned to the Marines.

Saint Jaygarcia Saturn did not initially want to join combat on Egghead, however, with things going south thanks to the involvement of the Straw Hat Pirates, he had to make himself available for support. By utilizing the demonic powers of his Devil Fruit, Saint Saturn was able to summon himself to the island, and right from the get-go, it was clear for the fans to see that he was a monstrously powerful individual. Saturn engaged in combat with Luffy later down the line, and this fight was absolutely mesmerizing for the fans to witness. Clearly, Saturn was able to land some powerful blows on Luffy.

However, these blows were not enough to put Luffy down. In fact, Luffy was the one who was dominant in this fight, and his blows were certainly stronger. In fact, these blows were strong enough to completely crush Saturn in many ways. Much to the surprise of the fans, Saturn was able to regenerate every single time. When Kuma punched Saturn, he was able to regenerate. Later down the line, Luffy landed several powerful blows on Saturn, and once again, he was able to regenerate. No matter how much damage Luffy dished out against Saturn, he was able to regenerate every single time, and this was quite a bizarre ability, as Luffy himself admitted that no matter what he did, Saturn simply kept coming back.

In the climax of the Egghead Island arc, the Five Elders were put on display once more. This time around, however, things were much more dire for the Straw Hat Pirates, as all Five Elders assembled on the island. The goal of the Five Elders was to stop the message of Dr Vegapunk from coming out. For that reason, all five of them showed up, and every single one of them played a major role in their own way. Instance, Saint V. Nusjuro decided to wipe out all the Pacifistas and stop the attack on the Marines. Meanwhile, Saint Marcus Mars decided to fly up to the Labophase, where he would attempt to destroy the room where the message was coming from. Meanwhile, the remaining three elders decided to fight Luffy, and the Straw Hat pirate, thanks to help from Dorry and Brogy, was able to hold their own.

Luffy was able to fight against them to quite a degree, countering every single one of their attacks, however, their generation rate was put on display once again. This was after Saint Saturn attacked Luffy with his powerful venom. Luffy, after using his unique abilities to conjure a bad, struck this venom back at the Elders, and all of them were completely engulfed by this venom. Of course, this attack from Saturn was powerful enough to kill Luffy if it landed. It would also have killed the Giants if it connected. However, Luffy retaliated with the powerful blow and instead, the Elders ended up taking damage. Yet, once again, it was clear to the fans that all of them were regenerating once again.

This time around, Luffy himself emphasized the fact that their regeneration ability is something that he cannot counter and he wondered whether they were immortal, to begin with. According to Dorry and Brogy, there is no race in One Piece that possesses the power of immortality, which would suggest that this power comes from an external source.

It can safely be assumed that the Gorosei truly are immortal in One Piece. Of course, immortality in One Piece is not an alien concept. Fans know that the Perennial Youth Operation grants one eternal youth. However, eternal youth is not exactly the same as immortality. Eternal youth means someone is youthful for their entire lives. However, they can still die. On the other hand, immortality simply means someone cannot die.

These are two entirely different things, and it depends on which way Oda decides to go with immortality in One Piece. If the Five Elders have the power of the Perennial Youth Operation, which can be performed through the Ope Ope no Mi, then, the previous doctors who have existed over the years will most likely have made it so that they become immortal. This is likely why the Ope Ope no Mi is the ultimate Devil Fruit, as it might just be the reason why all the Five Elders, and also Imu themselves, are immortal. This is a very solid idea, and certainly does make quite a lot of sense. Then fans would get a look at what this Devil Fruit is capable of at its full power firsthand.

Another interesting idea pertaining to the immortality of the Five Elders is that they truly are not immortal. It is possible that the Five Elders are simply projections of Imu. Similar to how Vegapunk has decided to split his body up into several satellites, Imu could have done the same. Of course, these bodies would be real, however, they would still be a part of Imu's ability. Since Imu themself is immortal, that would mean that they can pass on this ability to their satellites as well, making all of them immortal as well.

This is quite an interesting idea, and it will also make sense, given that Imu themself is from the Void Century. Fans know for a fact that the Ancient Kingdom that existed in the Void Century was technologically far more advanced than even Vegapunk today. This would explain why the Five Elders have immortality and why none of them can die and how all of them have the power to connect with each other telepathically.

One Piece is available to read via Viz Media. The series can be read by the fans officially and for free on the Shonen Jump and the Manga Plus app. The release date for the next chapter of One Piece, One Piece 1111, is set to be March 24, 2024.

More:

One Piece: The Immorality Of The Gorosei, Explained - GameRant

While an AI avatar could be a great way to memorialize someone, it could also prevent people from completing the grieving process.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has come a long way, as have the industries that make money off death, as grisly as it sounds. And technopreneurs have managed to make space for themselves by blending the two in the form of grief tech and ghostbots. Its officially the end of mourning as we know it.

For as long as humans have been around, weve fought against the inevitability of death. AI is finally intersecting with the highest and deepest human experience death. Companies have been employing AI to virtually bring back the dead, a technology hailed as grief tech, to bring comfort to their loved ones and help them process their grief. But we have to ask ourselves the question how much is too much?

In ultra-wired South Korea, producer Kim Jong-woos controversial 2020 documentary I Met You used VR to culminate into a tearful reunion between a mother and a virtual recreation of her daughter whod passed away in 2016. Jong-woos idea was to help people remember their loved ones beyond photo technology. While some thought it to be emotionally manipulative, others felt it brought grieving loved ones some closure.

Taking generative AI to the ultimate, macabre conclusion is DeepBrain AI, a Seoul-founded company that provides a range of AI-powered customer service products. Its virtual human service Re;memory recreated the persona of late family members of clients, right down to their voice and physique. Basically, one can create avatars of themselves by reading a few lines in a studio, and their families can visit them at offsite facilities. The idea is to immortalize ones life story via a virtual human.

Ghoulish, is it? Maybe not entirely. Re;memorys idea stemmed from the beguiling traditional Korean mourning and death anniversary traditions of Jesa. It involves large family gatherings, considerable amounts of food and drink, and performing ancestral rituals. But now, Jesa rituals are evolving to include visiting the columbarium on death anniversaries to pay respects to their ancestors and spend more quality time with the family. Re;memorys idea is not to replicate the personality but rather allow grieving family members to experience a digital avatar of a person on a day they miss them the most.

Another form of AI going beyond the physical realm is in the form of audio-based AI. For instance, Zhejiang-based Chinese global AI giant Super Brain has created griefbots for grieving family members. A mourning father hoping to talk to his deceased son gave founder Zhang Zewei the idea, who developed it into services ranging from limited audio/visual clips to entirely conversing video-enabled chatbots. How it works is that the software usually guides users through a personality questionnaire, thereby training its AI-backed algorithm based on the responses.

Its the same story with James Vlahos and his company, HereAfter AI. When his father was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer, he created a Dadbot, an interactive experience that emulated his father using recordings of his fathers life story. Vlahos said he found comfort in doing so; we cannot disagree.

Even in the West, a crop of California-based startups like Sance AI, StoryFile, and Replika now offer users various services to help them cope with the loss of a loved one. Right from audio legacies to virtual avatars one can have interactive video conversations with, are the dead even really dead anymore?

Not surprisingly, the concept of living as an avatar in the cloud or the metaverse, like Elon Musks Neuralink project, has generated a lot of conversation and controversy. After all, what do these Black Mirror-esque digital afterlives mean for the future of humanity?

Firstly, psychiatrists might argue that grief tech is a double-edged sword, as it might not be entirely healthy for the living. While an AI avatar could be a great way to memorialize someone, it could also prevent people from completing the grieving process. People could end up trying to avoid reality, and it could even hinder them from forming new and meaningful relationships.

Secondly, most AI companies havent intended grief tech to be something super long-term but instead aim at providing loved ones with a sense of closure. This is especially important in cases where sudden deaths have left bereaved relatives with a void, which perhaps an AI version of their loved one can fill. It could also help them cope and complete the grieving process in the unfortunate case of sudden death.

However, perhaps the most puzzling and pertinent question arising from this situation is does one have the right not to be resurrected via such AI, notwithstanding their loved ones preferences? Will last wills and testaments now have to have consent/dissent clauses about the use of ones biometric data to create griefbots? Who owns the avatar after the persons death? Interestingly, the same thing could and does happen to our tangible objects after our deaths vintage markets with old, discarded family photographs, anyone?

So, its still not clear how consent obligations will be complied with, especially in such situations where living relatives are not only consenting to the usage of biometric data of their departed loved ones but even requesting AI companies to use it for their own private benefit, of course.

With digital memorialization even making its way into the arts, its clear that weve just begun the conversation around grief tech. While resurrecting the dead in the form of AI does promise great benefits and could revolutionize the way we approach death, the attending risks of digital immortality are great mostly because we might not really be prepared for it.

Excerpt from:

Grief Tech And Digital Immortality: How Far Would You Go? - Sify

15 March 2024, 15:27

They had instant chemistry.

When the Bee Gees and Cline Dion teamed up in 1997 on the gorgeous song 'Immortality', the creative spark was instant.

That was confirmed by the fact that the legendary songwriting trio penned the ballad in just four minutes, with Cline in mind.

'Immortality' featured on the French-Canadian pop powerhouse's 1997 album, Let's Talk About Love, and whilst maybe overshadowed by her biggest hit 'My Heart Will Go On', the song held a place in her fan's hearts.

It was adored so much that Cline eventually released 'Immortality' as a single the following year, where it reached number five in the UK charts.

What the experience of working together did create, was a life-long bond between Cline and the Gibb brothers.

Sadly, they'd never combine their talents again, as Maurice Gibb died only six years later, with Robin Gibb also leaving us in 2012.

But in 2017, Cline was granted the opportunity to pay tribute to her fallen friends, and brought the entire audience to tears.

Due to the 'disco sucks' movement that derailed the Bee Gees' career throughout the eighties, they've perhaps not been given the credit they deserve in the years since.

The Grammy Awards sought to rectify that, by organising a spectacular tribute concert in 2017 to celebrate their genius and impact on popular music once and for all.

Stayin Alive: A Grammy Salute to the Music of the Bee Gees, was also televised, and featured performances from superstars from past and present.

The stellar lineup of stars performing Bee Gees classics included Stevie Wonder and John Legend, Ed Sheeran, Keith Urban, Demi Lovato, Jason Derulo and Tavares, as well as the star of Saturday Night Fever in John Travolta.

With his family in attendance, Barry Gibb himself even performed a rousing rendition of 'You Should Be Dancing' which had the entire crowd on their feet.

The night's most spectacular moment, was when Cline Dion stepped onto the stage.

Cline Dion - Immortality (Bee Gees Tribute) 1997 - 2017 (HD)

As she breathed deeply and prepared to sing the first notes to 'Immortality', Cline said: "It's a song that means more and more to me each day."

With the crowd ready to let the floodgates open, she then dedicated it to Barry's late brothers, Robin and Maurice.

"Tonight I sing it with love for Barry and in memory of Robin, Maurice and Andy," she added.

What came next was trademark Cline, delivering the song she sang alongside the Bee Gees with the power and poise only she could produce.

Duetting with the recording of the Bee Gees' voices, there was montage footage of them performing together, with images of Robin and Maurice projected onto the screens behind Cline.

It was clearly an emotional experience for Barry, remembering his lost brothers, and Cline knew what he was feeling.

As she brought the song to a close, she approached Barry in the crowd and began singing to him, before embracing him as a loving friend when 'Immortality' came to its conclusion.

It was a poignant and powerful moment between two dear friends, ones that just happen to make immaculate music with one another.

Originally posted here:

When Celine Dion paid emotional tribute to the Bee Gees with poignant rendition of 'Immortality' - Smooth Radio

Nobody Wants to Die is coming to Xbox, PlayStation, PC in 2024

An interactive noir story that is set in a dystopian New York City, Nobody Wants to Die has today been confirmed for a 2024 drop onto Xbox, PlayStation and PC. When it lands youll find an innovative experience playing out, one that looks to explore immortality and the dangers of transhumanism.

From Critical Hit Games and PLAION, Nobody Wants to Die has been announced for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC. Its due to release later in 2024, as players get the opportunity to lose themselves in its world.

Nobody Wants to Die looks to be an innovative experience taking place in futuristic New York City. A game inspired by neo-noir films, itll offer a distinctly visual aesthetic and intriguing plot.

Youll fall into this world, playing as Detective James Karra. Its here where youll investigate crime scenes using time manipulation. An advanced technology will come to the fore too, all as you look to uncover clues and unmask a killer in an era where death is a thing of the past.

Powered by Unreal Engine 5, the Polish team at Critical Hit Games are attempting to push the boundaries of storytelling, combining realistic cinema graphics and a distinctly unique narrative experience to deliver a non-stop, immersive story to the player in their inaugural creation.

Lose yourself in the world of New York, 2329, where immortality is possible for a price. Following a near-death experience, Detective James Karra takes an off-the-books case from his chief.

With only the help of a young police liaison, Sara Kai, to assist him. Time reveals all as they risk everything in pursuit of a killer, uncovering the dark secrets of the citys elite.

Sold? You will be once youve watched the announcement trailer below. Give it a view and let us know your thoughts on all things Nobody Wants to Die.

From there, hold tight for a release on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC later in 2024.Theres an Xbox Store page up if you want to know more.

Continued here:

Nobody Wants to Die will explore immortality and transhumanism later in 2024 - TheXboxHub