This article explores humanity’s quest for immortality through the lens of a nematode robot. It explains humanity’s relentless search for immortality, from the past search for feverfew and the fountain of youth to modern science’s research into artificial life.
About the nematode
The nematode is a tiny, short nematode about 1 millimeter long with only 302 nerve cells, and it is the only organism for which all the connections between nerve cells are known. For this reason, it is a popular research organism in biology, especially in the fields of genetic engineering, anatomy, and neuroscience. A project called OpenWorm, a group of roboticists from the United States and the United Kingdom, programmed and published all the connections of the nematode’s nerve cells, and in 2014, they succeeded in creating the world’s first living robot.
The nematode robot has garnered a lot of attention not only from academics in the fields of robotics, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence, but also from the general public, as it is known as the “first artificial life created by humans. While many AIs, including the recently famous AlphaGo, are algorithms designed to mimic human thought and behavior, the nematode robot has earned the title of “true artificial life” because it is an exact representation of a creature’s neural network (connectome) without any special algorithms. This research has another important implication beyond the creation of artificial intelligence or artificial life. It marks a new turning point in mankind’s never-ending quest for immortality and eternal life.
Qin Shi Huang and the Fountain of Youth, Juan Ponce de Leon and the Fountain of Youth
Humans have dreamed of eternal life in various ways since time immemorial. Qin Shi Huang of China was perhaps one of the most desperate seekers of immortality in history. The first emperor to unify China and enjoy immense power, Qin Shi Huang spent all his resources, including state funds, to find the elixir of immortality, but he never found it and died of mercury poisoning.
In medieval Europe, stories of “fountains of youth” were popularized by the idea that drinking from them would grant youth and eternal life. In the 16th century, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon famously sailed the Caribbean with the full support of the Spanish king in search of the fountain of youth. He searched for the fountain of youth from 1513 until he was killed by a Native American arrow in 1521. His story was made famous again in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean. As you can see, legends of immortality have long existed in both the East and West, and many people have longed to obtain it.
Egyptian pharaohs and the idea of soul immortality
The struggle for eternal life didn’t always exist in this form. Humans have long sought answers in the form of an afterlife, believing that although the body dies and life ceases, religious beliefs can provide eternal life for the soul in the afterlife. The ancient Egyptians, one of the earliest civilizations on Earth, were fiercely obsessed with the afterlife. Their pyramids, temples, mummies, incredible murals, hieroglyphics, and grave goods all demonstrate their insatiable desire for a life after death. They believed that after death, they would be judged by the gods in the afterlife, and if they passed, they would return to the world of the living and enjoy eternal life. The pyramids were built to house Egypt’s kings, the pharaohs, who traveled to the afterlife and were granted eternal life, and the mummy was a device to preserve the pharaoh’s body from decay during this process.
Since the time of ancient Egypt, the idea of immortality has taken root in many philosophies and religions. The great Greek philosopher Plato argued for the dualism of body and soul in his book Phaedon, and said that even if the body dies, the soul is immortal. Many religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which are practiced by more than half of the world’s population, speak of the immortality of the soul. Many people who have lived by these beliefs have struggled to achieve immortality in their own way.
Modern science’s quest for immortality
With the advancement of science, the quest for immortality has entered a new phase. People no longer believe in elixirs of youth and fountains of youth, and they know that the immortality of the soul is not scientifically verifiable. However, advances in life sciences and medicine are bringing us closer to immortality once again, as cures for many diseases are being discovered and human lifespans are increasing. In 2015, genetic engineering researchers succeeded in increasing the lifespan of nematodes by 18% through genetic manipulation, and immunology researchers are predicting that cancer will be conquered by 2030.
At this point, the nematode robot offers us another answer. By simply implementing the neuronal connections without any other manipulation, a robot was created that moves exactly like the nematode. Of course, this robot is not a nematode itself, as it does not eat E. coli and does not reproduce itself. But it does do exactly what a neural network of 302 nerve cells in the human brain does: it’s an artificial brain of a nematode. Someday, if we can figure out all the neuronal connections in the human brain and program them, we might be able to build an artificial brain. And the moment we implant an artificial brain, just like an artificial arm or an artificial organ, it will be remembered as the moment we achieved the immortality we have always wanted.
Of course, there are many hurdles to overcome from the nematode robot to the human artificial brain. The human brain is far more complex than the nematode, and it’s unclear if it will ever be possible to understand all of its structures. Even if we do, it’s not easy to artificially implement it in a form that is compatible with other body parts, and it may not be possible to transfer the memories, knowledge, etc. of the existing brain. Even if all of this is possible, there is also the philosophical question of whether the person in the artificial brain is really me. There is also the question of how to maintain and manage a mechanical body, including an artificial brain. Given this mountain of problems, my idea may seem as far-fetched as Qin Shi Huang’s bullroot, Juan Ponce de Leon’s fountain of youth, or the Egyptian pharaoh’s pyramids. But I can assure you that the search for this elusive possibility will continue. Just as humans throughout history have endlessly tried to achieve immortality. And one day, when we do achieve true immortality, I hope this research will be remembered as a milestone along the way.
