News Release

Wired Magazine Features Human Longevity Trading Cards

February 28, 2006

In its efforts to engage the interest of a broader public audience in the sometimes-esoteric topic of work being done to extend the human lifespan, the “online trading cards” created by SAGE Crossroads have been a big hit. So much so, in fact, that the March 2006 issued of Wired Magazine features photographs and a write up about this innovative and fun approach to reaching people with a difficult topic.

SAGE Crossroads initially created 12 of these trading cards, based on the original idea from Forum One Communications, each profiling in a fun format the often controversial work and personality of an expert that has influenced scientific, political, or ethical thinking surrounding issues of extending human life. The trading card for biomedical researcher Aubrey de Grey of the University of Cambridge, for example, points out his view that there are just seven processes in human metabolism that can be “fixed,” (“…sometime in the not-so-distant future”), leading to his boldest prediction that “aging is curable.” Coupled with a quality photo and some additional fun statistics about his work, Mr. de Grey’s trading card is now available for people to email around, compare to others, and debate, and it is part of the hard-copy set of cards that SAGE Crossroads has just published in case you want to take these activities offline. In the past year, the number of Aging Expert Trading Cards on SAGE Crossroads has grown to 50, and web site users can submit suggestions for new ones as well.

Forum One came up with the trading card idea after considering the challenge SAGE Crossroads faced in creating interest amongst its target audience of policy makers and the public in such esoteric topics. Traditional articles and data, online or offline, could assess these issues about the policy implications of efforts to extend human life, but weren’t grabbing the interest of enough people. The trading cards, which offer a channel back to the deeper information, are fun, interesting, and easy to send around and debate, as highlighted by the recent Wired Magazine coverage. See and trade all 50 cards now!

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David Strelneck