China: Scientists Use Stem Cells to Reverse Age-Related Stress in Monkeys

Published OCT 3

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Above: A rescued macaque monkey at Tarsus Nature Park in Mersin, Turkey, on Sept. 9, 2025. Image copyright: Mustafa Unal Uysal/Anadolu/Getty Images

The Spin

Narrative A

This study provides strong evidence that aging can be reversed, with engineered stem cells improving the memory of mammals remarkably similar to humans. These super stem cells, with their ability to eliminate senescent cells, reduce inflammation and restore brain connectivity to youthful levels, it's now clear that anti-aging breakthroughs are happening in real-life settings, not just theoretical debates.

Nad+

Narrative B

While the potential of age reversal is exciting, anti-aging research, like stem cell therapies claiming to clear senescent cells, hypes unproven benefits. Risks include immune reactions and tumors, with little clinical evidence. Similarly, methylation clocks are misleading by mixing aging symptoms with repair processes — pushing superficial fixes that ignore root causes while the industry profits from untested promises.

Study Finds Open Access

Cynical narrative

Whether anti-aging medicine is possible or not, the industry and its promoters are still pushing a creepy, Orwellian transhumanist agenda that threatens humanity's essence and freedom. The end-goal isn't just happier, healthier people, but merging humans with machines for eternal life — risking disembodied minds in a nightmarish ether, economic collapse from AI and accidental extinction. The elites will also hoard immortality, exacerbating inequality.

Academy of Ideas Vice