Within a foreseeable future, humans can become close to immortal thanks to nanotechnology, claims Ray Kurzweil, holder of the American National Medal of Technology and Innovation and member of the Inventor's Hall of Fame (Nanotech could make humans immortal by 2040, futurist says | Computerworld).
In the USA, the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) defines Nanotechnology as “a science, engineering, and technology conducted at the nanoscale (1 to 100 nm), where unique phenomena enable novel applications in a wide range of fields, from chemistry, physics and biology, to medicine, engineering and electronics” (https://www.nano.gov/).
Nanotechnology can prolong life, but it also raises ecophagy fears about a possible catastrophic global scenario in which out-of-control self-replicating machines can consume the entire Earth's biomass.
Deepening nanotechnology regulation is essential to incite its development while containing its risks.