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Small Victories
Dec. 15th, 2023 10:16 amExcluding wild speculations of reincarnation, we have but one life, and what we make of the opportunities given to us is ultimately a test of our character. It is with this consideration that I must thank Rade V., who kindly gifted me a ticket to see the film "One Life" at the Village Rivoli. It was a conventional and aesthetically unchallenging film in many ways but tells the truly remarkable story of the efforts of Nicholas Winton, who spearheaded the rescue of hundreds of (mostly Jewish) children from Czechoslovakia on the eve of World War II. As can be expected, the film also included the iconic and touching moments when Winton is re-united with a number of the survivors many decades later. It was a story that rather reminded me of Hannah Arendt's semi-biographical essays with the evocative title "Men in Dark Times".
If I may turn from people to small non-human animals, some of you may know that approximately 18 months ago I had my first tattoo etched on my skin, partially in honour of my favoured animal companion of many years, rattus norvegicus, and partially in remembrance of the rats that were killed in Dr. Curt Richter's brutal experiments on psychological resilience. "Forced swim tests" of various forms have still been in practice in Australian universities. But thanks to the lobbying efforts of many (and thank you Robin M), the National Health and Medical Research Council, the statutory authority in Australia for such matters, has effectively banned the practice: "the forced swim test in rodents cannot be justified in accordance with the Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes and must not proceed."
In other rodent-related small victories, there are now hydrogen-powered rodents for immortality, not a phrase I ever expected to type. Chinese researchers have developed an anti-aging hydrogen therapy that has anti-inflammation and anti-senescence effects through a consistent therapeutic delivery of hydrogen. It adds to research published a few years ago where protein modification of cells restored sight in mice to a more youthful age. How far are we from immortal mice (and by extension, immortal humans)? Probably a very long time yet, although I am fairly certain that scientific discoveries such as these will certainly lead to ever-increasing lifespans for our species and others. Small victories, incremental steps with lasting effects in the pursuit of science, justice, and for a more beautiful world, stand in contrast and in conflict with the triviality of obsessive hedonism or the escapist withdrawals of refined epicureanism. We only have one life; make use of that opportunity.
If I may turn from people to small non-human animals, some of you may know that approximately 18 months ago I had my first tattoo etched on my skin, partially in honour of my favoured animal companion of many years, rattus norvegicus, and partially in remembrance of the rats that were killed in Dr. Curt Richter's brutal experiments on psychological resilience. "Forced swim tests" of various forms have still been in practice in Australian universities. But thanks to the lobbying efforts of many (and thank you Robin M), the National Health and Medical Research Council, the statutory authority in Australia for such matters, has effectively banned the practice: "the forced swim test in rodents cannot be justified in accordance with the Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes and must not proceed."
In other rodent-related small victories, there are now hydrogen-powered rodents for immortality, not a phrase I ever expected to type. Chinese researchers have developed an anti-aging hydrogen therapy that has anti-inflammation and anti-senescence effects through a consistent therapeutic delivery of hydrogen. It adds to research published a few years ago where protein modification of cells restored sight in mice to a more youthful age. How far are we from immortal mice (and by extension, immortal humans)? Probably a very long time yet, although I am fairly certain that scientific discoveries such as these will certainly lead to ever-increasing lifespans for our species and others. Small victories, incremental steps with lasting effects in the pursuit of science, justice, and for a more beautiful world, stand in contrast and in conflict with the triviality of obsessive hedonism or the escapist withdrawals of refined epicureanism. We only have one life; make use of that opportunity.
