Mighty Mouse

Our fellow scientitists have made a recent discovery that could have an impact on our lives someday. Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center figured out that by tweaking a gene called Klotho we could actually live longer. According to Dr. Makoto Kuro-o, stimulating the Klotho gene appears to delay many of the effects of old age, like weakening of bones, clogging of the arteries and loss of muscle fitness. In laboratories this discovery has been shown to increase the lifespan of a mouse by 31%. Dr. Makoto Kuro-o said, "It could be one of the significant steps for developing anti-aging therapy." Kuro-o and colleagues discovered the Klotho gene, naming it after the mythical Greek fate that controlled the length of human life.

This is a fascinating find and could change human life as we know it. If we could go in for a treatment that would extend our lives what would we do with the extra time? Would we do anything different? What exactly do we want to accomplish with our time here? Well, we do not have to wait for this treatment to become a reality to think about how we spend our time. Time is the most valuable commodity on Earth and yet so few use it wisely. Someone once asked my Rabbi, "What would you do if you had one week left to live?" He replied, "Exactly what I did last week." Living each day as if it were our last allows us to set our priorities straight and live the most meaningful life possible. Then, if this life-prolonging treatment becomes available at our local clinic we will know what to do with it.