Discussion » Questions » Outside the Mug » Is aging and biological death a process built on a timing mechanism?

Is aging and biological death a process built on a timing mechanism?

Posted - March 17, 2017

Responses


  • Not really.

    We are all issued with a body that's good for 70 or 80 years. It'll just keep running along by itself.

    Factors along the way will determine how long it actually lasts. That might include nutrition, climate, lifestyle, environment, fitness, type of employment, attitude (especially toward risk), and so on. 

    Then there are faulty components which may breakdown due to exposure to wear and tea, illness, hazardous situations, and so on. 

    By and large the design engineers did a pretty good job and there's no need to think that they built in a timing mechanism. Built in obsolescence would have been so unworthy of such a task. 

      March 17, 2017 8:56 PM MDT
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  • 5614
    I disagree. I am surprised that I asked this question. Tis evident that we all are on a timing mechanism. Our very own life cycle is the answer to my question. This post was edited by O-uknow at March 23, 2017 9:26 PM MDT
      March 23, 2017 9:23 PM MDT
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  • 2327
    Most of us are. 

    But...if you smoke, drink alcohol regularly, have an unhealthy diet of mostly deep fried carbs, have a strong family history of cancer and heart disease, you don't get enough sleep or exercise, and you're also addicted to illegal class-a narcotics, then you will probably die young. 

    The average life expectancy in Glasgow is 55. I wonder why.... ;p
      March 17, 2017 9:19 PM MDT
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  • It's all the haggis and black pudding they eat.
      March 17, 2017 9:23 PM MDT
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  • Even this...

    https://www.haggisuk.co.uk/haggis/vegetarian-haggis/macsween-vegetarian-haggis-serves-2-3-nominal-weight-454g
      March 17, 2017 9:51 PM MDT
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  • Who would have believed it? Is nothing sacred?
      March 17, 2017 10:22 PM MDT
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  • I have been told  can now never enter Scotland.  Also because I put fruit, nuts and soy sausage in my porridge.
      March 17, 2017 10:25 PM MDT
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  • Quite right, too. 
      March 17, 2017 10:26 PM MDT
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  • Well poo on you.  I was going to invite you for breakfast.  Now you can eat alone till you're real good and sorry.
      March 17, 2017 10:33 PM MDT
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  • Yes... look up telerase ... they are on the ends of dna stands or rna and seem to be a timer
      March 17, 2017 9:27 PM MDT
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  • 5614
    Aye, indeed.
      March 18, 2017 7:22 PM MDT
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  • :)
      March 18, 2017 7:28 PM MDT
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  • 5614
    luv
      March 23, 2017 9:16 PM MDT
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  • There is a general life expectancy.  This is changeable to culture, historic periods, one's place in society and one's health history and practices.
      March 17, 2017 10:12 PM MDT
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  • Hi, O-uknow...

    In researching a Q for aMug, I came upon the intriguing idea that we all (humankind, anyway) have about three billion heartbeats to work with, in our lives...

    Actually, however, I think there is a lot more choice involved in biological death than usually recognized; not conscious choice as such, but more some deep unawares motivation of whether to continue, or call it a day and move on...
      March 17, 2017 10:27 PM MDT
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  • That was such a stunning figure that I tried working it out myself. 

    Allowing 70 bpm, every minute (and that's a low average) multiplied by 60 minutes, 24 hours, 365.25 days, and 70 years, a 70 year old person would have used 2.58 billion heart beats. Sheesh, I'd love to own the patent on a piece of machinery that was so reliable and just keeps on running.

    I hope I didn't use up more than my share during the triathlon years.
      March 17, 2017 11:58 PM MDT
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  • Your triathlon days prolly tacked on EXTRA heartbeats!
      March 18, 2017 12:36 AM MDT
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  • Could easily be so. :)
      March 18, 2017 12:49 AM MDT
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  • 5614
    3 billion heartbeats? Even if we take take that as truth it is still dependent on oh so many factors. What if we can trick the heart at beat 2.99 million into beat one? This post was edited by O-uknow at March 23, 2017 9:27 PM MDT
      March 23, 2017 9:21 PM MDT
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  • Oh wait, O-uknow, that has already been tried!
    It is Turritopsis dohrnii medusa, the eternal jellyfish...lives in the Mediterranean and the Sea of Japan...whenever it begins to feel a bit long in the tooth or rather sickish, it just pulls a cord somehow and reverts back to its polyp stage, starts the whole process over again, theoretically can live forever!

    Didge asked a question about reincarnation once, and so I chose this as the form for my return...



      March 23, 2017 9:39 PM MDT
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  • 22891
    seems like it
      March 19, 2017 5:42 PM MDT
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