World Leaders' Hot Mic Moment Reveals Discussions on Immortality and 150-Year Lifespans
Putin, Xi, and Kim were reportedly caught on a hot mic in Beijing, discussing human immortality, radical life extension, and the potential for 150-year lifespans via organ transplants.
Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping chat about immortality on hot mic
New York Daily News
Putin and Xi Ponder Immortality: What to Know
TIME Magazine
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Overview
- Russian President Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un were reportedly caught on a hot mic during a military parade in Beijing.
- Their private discussion centered on controversial subjects including human immortality, radical life extension, and the potential role of organ transplants.
- The leaders' conversation reportedly included plotting to live forever, highlighting a shared, high-level interest in advanced research for significantly prolonging human life.
- Chinese President Xi Jinping specifically mentioned the possibility of humans living up to 150 years old within the current century during their overheard remarks.
- These discussions confirm previous reports of Putin and Xi's interest in biotechnology, longevity, and increasing life expectancy through continuous organ transplants.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story by connecting Xi and Putin's hot mic discussion of longevity and organ transplants to their autocratic rule. They emphasize the leaders' desire for perpetual political power and highlight sensitive issues like China's history of organ harvesting, casting the casual exchange in a more critical light.
"In a few decades, as biotechnology continues to develop, human organs will continue to be transplanted and people will become younger and perhaps even achieve immortality."
ABC News"While damaged and diseased organs may be replaceable by transplants, as we age our bodies become much less resilient or able to cope with physical stressors."
BBC News"Putin confirmed the exchange during a news conference later Wednesday."
CBS News"Longevity science is making progress, but Putin may be barking up the wrong tree: Aging affects the entire body, so repeatedly replacing your liver is unlikely to help."
Semafor"In a few decades, as biotechnology continues to develop, human organs will continue to be transplanted and people will become younger and perhaps even achieve immortality."
Associated Press"While it used to be rare for people to reach age 70, “now they say that at 70 you are only a child,” a translator for Xi can be heard telling Putin in Russian."
NBC News"The brief snippets of conversation suggest that immortality is on the minds of the world's strongmen, though it's interesting to see how it takes a different form than in Silicon Valley, where robots and software are more often seen as the key to longevity instead of, say, recurring organ transplants into an aging bag of skin."
ARS Technica"The exchange was relayed by a Mandarin translator for Putin and a Russian translator for Xi, and has been translated into English by the BBC."
BBC News"The moment came as Putin and Xi walked with North Korea's Kim Jong Un at the head of a delegation of more than two dozen foreign leaders to view a military parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two."
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FAQ
Putin suggested that with advances in biotechnology, continuous organ transplants could allow people to live younger and potentially achieve immortality. Xi Jinping commented that 70 is 'still a child's age' and predicted that humans might live up to 150 years within this century.
The incident occurred during a military parade in Beijing commemorating the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender at the end of World War II. The leaders were walking through Tiananmen Square on their way to the viewing platform when their conversation was captured by open microphones.
Kim Jong Un was reported to have cracked a smile after overhearing Putin and Xi discuss the possibility of living forever during the military parade in Beijing.
Xi Jinping's comment reflects a high-level interest in radical life extension and biotechnology, aligning with previous reports of his focus on longevity research and increasing life expectancy via methods like continuous organ transplantation.
Yes, previous reports have confirmed that both Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping have a longstanding interest in biotechnology, longevity, and increasing human life expectancy through advancements such as continuous organ transplants.
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