Life Extension – Lifeboat News: The Blog

Oct 24
2025

Shape memory polymers with nanotips help solve micro-LED chip transfer problem

A research team at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), has developed a novel dry adhesive technology that allows everything from microscale electronic components to common household materials to be easily attached and detached.

The study was recently published in the journal Nature Communications, and the team was led by Professor Seok Kim in collaboration with Professor Kihun Kim (POSTECH), Professor Namjoong Kim (Gachon University), Professor Haneol Lee (Chonbuk National University), and Dr. Chang-Hee Son (University of Connecticut, U.S.).

Micro-LEDs, a next-generation display technology, offer significant advantages such as higher brightness, longer lifespan, and the ability to enable flexible and transparent displays. However, transferring micro-LED chips—thinner than a strand of hair—onto target substrates with high precision and minimal residue has been a persistent challenge. Conventional methods relying on liquid adhesives or specialized films often result in overly complex processes, poor alignment accuracy, and residual contamination.

Oct 23
2025

Breakthrough: This Japanese drug COULD fight aging at the cellular level

Osaka University researchers discovered AP2A1 protein’s significant role in cellular aging; lowering its levels reversed aging characteristics. They a

Oct 22
2025

New study reveals why time seems to move faster the older we get

A new study hints that age-related changes in our brains may explain why time feels like it’s slipping away faster with every passing year.

Oct 21
2025

Revolutionary Prosthetic Eye Chip Restores Sight in Medical First

A tiny chip implanted into the eyes of people suffering vision loss from irreversible age-related macular degeneration has restored central sight in a dazzling first.

It’s called the PRIMA system, tested across 17 European hospitals, and it restored central vision in 26 of 32 patients who used it for 12 months – many of whom could even read again. The result, developed by a large international team of doctors and scientists over many years, represents a massive breakthrough in treatments for vision loss.

“It’s the first time that any attempt at vision restoration has achieved such results in a large number of patients,” says ophthamologist José-Alain Sahel of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, co-senior author on a paper describing the results.

Oct 21
2025

Stem Cells Age Ten Times Faster in Space, New Study Finds

Traveling to space presents significant challenges to human health, with research detailing a variety of detrimental effects on the body that may mirror accelerated aging. These include a loss of bone density, swelling of brain and eye nerves, and changes in gene expression. NASA’s groundbreaking study featuring identical twin astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly provided vital insights into these concerns by observing Scott’s physical condition after spending 340 days in space, while Mark remained on Earth. Findings from this 2019 “twins study,” published in the journal Science, revealed that Scott experienced DNA damage, cognitive decline, and persistent telomere shortening—an indication of aging—even six months post-mission.

Recent research has now uncovered an alarming revelation about stem cells during spaceflight, indicating that they exhibit signs of aging at a staggering rate—up to ten times faster than their counterparts on Earth. Dr. Catriona Jamieson, director of the Sanford Stem Cell Institute at the University of California, San Diego, and a lead author of the new study published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, articulated the significance of this finding. Stem cells, which are crucial for the development and repair of various tissues, losing their youthful capacity could lead to grave health issues, such as chronic diseases, neurodegeneration, and cancer.

This study arrives at a pivotal moment, as both government agencies and private companies are gearing up for long-duration missions to the moon and beyond. With the surge in interest in spaceflight, understanding the associated health risks has never been more urgent. Insights from this accelerated cellular aging could not only inform safer space travel but also enhance our understanding of biological processes on Earth.

Oct 20
2025

Electronic Eye Implant Restores Reading Vision in AMD

A groundbreaking European trial has shown that a new electronic eye implant, paired with augmented-reality glasses, can restore reading vision to patients blinded by geographic atrophy from dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Oct 20
2025

Retinal implant restores central vision in patients with advanced AMD, study shows

A wireless retinal implant can restore central vision in patients with advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to clinical trial results published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Advanced atrophic AMD, also known as geographic atrophy (GA), is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in older adults, affecting more than 5 million people worldwide.

The international, multi-center trial was co-led by José-Alain Sahel, M.D., director of the UPMC Vision Institute, Daniel Palanker, Ph.D., professor of ophthalmology at Stanford University, and Frank Holz, M.D., professor of ophthalmology at the University of Bonn, Germany.

Oct 19
2025

MRI age clocks reveal how each organ ages differently and predict who develops disease or lives longer

Researchers developed seven MRI-based biological age clocks across major organs using UK Biobank imaging, linking each to proteins, metabolites, genetics, disease risks, mortality, and cognitive decline. These organ-specific age gaps reveal how uneven aging shapes vulnerability to conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and dementia, opening new paths for precision prevention and clinical trial stratification