Enlightenment scientists pursued literal immortality through science

Evidence

By the end of the seventeenth century, blood transfusions had been conducted on dogs, horses, and humans. Although results were inconsistent at best, the occasional success gave researchers hope that rejuvenating techniques to retard or reverse old age were on the medical horizon. During the eighteenth century, bacteria, flies, and fish were among the creatures desiccated or frozen in unsuccessful revivification efforts. Still, by the end of the century, Ben Franklin, by no means a scientific simpleton, regretted being born too soon to witness advances in science that he felt could produce exponential increases in agricultural production, the development of levitation-based transportation, and the cure or prevention of all diseases, “not excepting even that of old age.” — Sheldon Solomon, Jeff Greenberg, Tom Pyszczynski, The Worm at the Core, 375

Categorization

• CANDY: Ben Franklin regretting being born too soon for levitation-based transportation is gold for small talk.

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