Can we avoid aging?

That's what Aubrey David Nicholas Jasper de Grey seems to think. Here's the link to a very interesting and provocative speech given by him at TED

But to be fair to the speech, it is not as much as about avoiding aging but more so about extending lifespan. It is a truly a very interesting question.

Most of medical research is about extending lifespan by preventing or curing diseases. But if the onset of diseases can be delayed, especially those considered to be inevitable due to hereditary or life-style reasons, would that extend life? I'm not talking about exercise etc but real medication that healthy people take to delay a disease that they are most likely to be afflicted with in the future! The results may not overtly radical, but something to think about. Enjoy the speech for now.

btw, with his long beard, Aubery de Grey looks like wizard out of LOTR. Wonder when he'll become Aubery de White?