Recently, an unusual “hot mic” moment between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin made headlines. The two leaders were overheard at a military parade in Beijing discussing life extension and even the possibility of living until 150 years of age.
Xi reportedly remarked that in the past, living beyond 70 was rare, but now, at 70 “you are still a child.” Putin responded that advances in biotechnology might allow continuous organ transplants to help people remain younger for longer even hinting at the possibility of immortality. Xi went further, suggesting that in this century there could be a chance of humans reaching 150.
Both Moscow and Beijing have indeed invested heavily in anti-aging and biotech research. Russia has prioritized studies into slowing cellular degeneration and cognitive decline, while China has directed funding toward nanotechnology-based therapies and compounds aimed at improving longevity.
However, leading experts caution against taking these bold claims literally. James Markmann, president of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, has dismissed the idea as “unfounded.” He emphasized that there is no scientific evidence to support the notion that organ transplantation could extend human life to 150 years. In reality, organ supply remains scarce, and the concept of continually replacing organs for a single individual is simply unrealistic.
The fascination with immortality is not new. From ancient Egyptian mummification rituals to China’s first emperor Qin Shi Huang’s obsession with elixirs of life, history shows that powerful figures have long sought ways to outsmart mortality. In the modern era, Silicon Valley billionaires are investing millions into biohacking, cryonics, and longevity research in hopes of radically extending human lifespans.
As Elizabeth Wishnick, a senior research scientist specializing in Sino-Russian relations, explains, the pursuit of immortality often reflects the mindset of leaders and billionaires who see the human body as just another frontier like space or the deep ocean that they want to conquer.
Bottom line: While the Xi-Putin exchange sparked attention, science does not support the claim that organ transplants could make humans live to 150. The dream of extreme life extension remains more science fiction than scientific fact for now.
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