“如今72歲等於古代30歲”

“如今72歲等於古代30歲”英國《金融時報》 諾爾瑪•科恩倫敦報導
科學家宣稱，過去100年間人類平均壽命快速延長，以至於現在的72歲相當於過去的30歲。
的確，位於德國羅斯托克的馬克斯•普朗克人口學研究所(Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research)的研究人員表示，自1900年以來，在降低各個年齡段人群死亡率方面的進展如此快速，以至於人類預期壽命的提高速度超過了此前20萬年（各種類人動物在20萬年前開始向現代人進化）。
該研究得出的結論是，人類預期壽命提高的速度影響如此深遠，以至於工業化經濟體措手不及，沒有從成本上準備好為這麼多人提供這麼長久的退休收入。
這份發表在《美國國家科學院院報》(Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States)上的研究，選取了瑞典男士和日本男士為研究對象——這兩國是當今預期壽命最長的兩個國家。
研究發現，1800年瑞典男士和日本男士的預期壽命更接近從事打獵和採集活動的原始人類，而非當今瑞典和日本的成年男子。
從事打獵和採集活動的原始人在30歲時的死亡概率，相當於現代瑞典或日本男士72歲時的死亡概率。
另外，參與該研究的科學家們表示，人類壽命的可能極限不再清晰。馬克斯•普朗克的博士後研究員、該研究的領導者奧斯卡•布格爾(Oskar Burger)說：“人類壽命可以延長到多少歲？我們無從得知。”
譯者/闌天

「咖啡酒」(咖啡豆調味的利口酒)

咖啡酒，似乎很誘惑

2013/02/21

       日本最近推出了一種用咖啡豆調味的利口酒「咖啡酒」。

       這種咖啡酒採用將咖啡豆泡入蒸餾酒、充分提取其精華的「浸漬制法」釀造而成，是利口酒系列的新口味。

       具體制法為將香味容易提取的兩種咖啡豆混合，然後翻炒、磨碎、泡入蒸餾酒中，最後加入糖調味。

        咖啡的香醇與甘甜微苦的味道完美融合。可以直接喝，還可以加水、加奶，或加熱飲用。另外，還可摻入點心原料做成甜點、或者澆到冰欺淩上。酒精含量為17%。

         每瓶500毫升，售價840日元（約合人民幣元56元），3月27日發售。之前的產品除了杏仁味的「杏露酒」外，還有荔枝、檸檬和蘋果口味。

Claude Lévi-Strauss 論老年

http://mindblog.dericbownds.net/2013/01/piagets-shattered-hologram-of-aging.html

Lévi-Strauss - "shattered hologram" of aging.

I've been having a go at Jim Holt's popular book  "Why does the world exist? An existential detective story."  After three chapters of fascinating quotes from famous ancient and modern philosophers and scientists I skipped to the epilogue, and found a striking account given by the author of attending a small party at the Collège de France in celebration of the ninetieth birthday of Claude Lévi-Strauss. Lévi-Strauss was asked to give a little speech to the group, and begins with: 

"Montaigne said that aging diminishes us each day in a way that, when death finally arrives, it takes away only a quarter or half the man. But Montaigne only lived to be fifty-nine, so he could have no idea of the extreme old age I find myself in today" - which, he adds, was one of the "most curious surprises of my existence."  He says he feels like a "shattered hologram" that has lost its unity but that still retains an image of the whole self. 

Lévi-Strauss goes on to talk about the "dialogue"  between the eroded self he has become - le moi réel - and the ideal self that coexists with it - le moi métronymique.  The latter, planning ambitious new intellectual projects, says to the former,  "You must continue."  But the former replies, "That's your business - only you can see things whole."  Levi-Strauss then thanks those of us assembled for helping him silence this futile dialogue and allowing his two selves of "coincide" again for a moment - "although," he adds,  "I am well aware that le moi réel will continue to sink toward its ultimate dissolution."

What an incredible description of what we experience as we continually loose our brain cells during aging: a receding shadow of the richness of the world once integrated by their antecedent and larger ensemble. 

The final lines of Holt's epilogue, and the book:

Philosophy, n. A route of many roads leading from nowhere to nothing. 

-AMBROSE BIERCE, The Devil's Dictionary