The Matriarch: Thoughts on the Future of Human Longevity
Human beings are steadily living longer. What could happen when we extend our lifespan? In this project, I design artifacts and tell the story of Emily, a fictional 148-year-old woman in a future.
In the future, may we have more inclusive magazine covers that feature accomplished people of all ages.
If we can live to be 150 years old, I envision that we will have technologies that will allow people to achieve this maximum longevity. Perhaps we will have tattoos that can deliver hormones for telomere repair. Or wearables that can track the number of cell divisions. Maybe we will inject young blood into ourselves to extend our lives (and maybe this blood will come from younger family members)—a macabre possibility, for sure, but so are lots of what we do to ourselves now especially if our ancestors could see them!
I also think that living longer affords us time to pursue more interests. If we want to go back to school for the second or third time, then we can! We can learn more languages, change careers, perhaps have more lovers. If we have more time, I think most of us will devote this to developing ourselves and our relationships. There are pros and cons to this future.
Browse the gallery to view The Matriarch, a story of a 148-year-old woman and a day in her life.
If we can live to be 150 years old, we might develop technologies to assist us as we age, such as tattoos to deliver hormones for telomere repair, or wearables that can tell us the number of our cell divisions.
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- The woman is sleeping.
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- Her name is Emily, and she is president of a media company. She is 148 years old.
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- She has a tattoo that delivers hormones for telomere repair.
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- She wears a bracelet that tracks the number of her cell divisions.
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- Upon waking up, she meditates.
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- She eats a calorie-restricted diet.
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- She also takes one Resveratab, which consists of resveratrol, a day.
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- She has a special skin care regimen.
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- She plays with her pet cat.
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- She remembers the time when she was 80 years old and she took her 2nd college degree.
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- At the time, she enrolled in the Department of Lifelong Learning.
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- She leaves the house and meets her family. She has a third husband and four great-great-great-great grandchildren.
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- She shows them a magazine with her on the cover. Women’s magazines have come a long way since then.
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- Emily is on the cover of a woman’s magazine.
Many thanks to Emily Abrera and her family, and Rjho De Guzman.
Catherine Sarah Young 