Remember, in children's fairy tales it is very often mentioned that, they say, a certain positive hero, after certain, as a rule, successful deeds, rules, and lived for a long, long time? Surely many of us can remember even a few examples.
But have you ever thought about someone who actually lives 300 years? And are there such creatures in the world at all, or is all this longevity nothing more than another fiction of science fiction writers?
Let's try to understand the situation. In this article, from a scientific point of view, we will follow and justify who lives 300 years on planet Earth and whether this is possible in principle. The reader will get acquainted with several types of living beings and receive brief description their livelihoods.
Section 1. General Information
Agree, the theme of immortality has always worried humanity. Perhaps it would be foolish to ask the question "why". Well, of course, the whole point is that this would allow people to have power over all living things. Can you imagine what would happen if we finally acquired the ability to regenerate unhealthy organs and restore lost limbs? To put it mildly, it would be great!
To date, the best scientists on the planet are working on the problem of life extension, but, unfortunately, this remains only within the limits of dreams.
But if for us this kind of opportunity is just a fantasy, then for many animals it is. Of course, they do not live forever, but just like us, they grow old and die over time, but compared to humans, they are real champions in longevity. And some individuals even survived their brethren and were eyewitnesses of many historical events on the planet. It is a pity that we have not learned to understand them properly ... How much valuable information could be obtained!
So which animal living on Earth lives the longest? Are there any record holders? Let's take a look at a few compelling examples.
Section 2. Amazing red sea urchin
These mysterious sea creatures live in the waters Pacific Ocean, mostly off the west coast of North America. Red sea urchins prefer quiet places on the practically uninhabited ocean floor and usually live at a depth of at least 90 meters. Their life span is several centuries.
Scientists know that all of them move little, attach to the sea soil and feed mainly only on small organisms, which are swallowed with water and then filtered.
Modern researchers believe that echinoderms of this species are practically immortal and show no signs of aging. By the way, sea urchins and at the age of one hundred years are as prolific as their ten-year-old relatives. They can only die from diseases or predators.
Indeed, a sea urchin is one who lives 300 years, and maybe longer.
Section 3. Have you heard about the tuatara?
This mysterious animal was not properly studied until many years after its discovery. Subsequently, it turned out that such creatures disappeared from the face of the earth many millions of years ago, and the hatteria remained the only species of this order of reptiles.
It is extremely interesting that the internal structure of the organs of the tuatara has a similar physiology with the crocodile, turtle, fish and snake, as well as with the ancient, long-extinct megalosaurs, ichthyosaurs and teleosaurs.
Today, we can say with confidence that tuatara are contemporaries of the dinosaur era and can reach the age of two hundred years.
Section 4. Bowhead whale
The bowhead whale is dark in color and lacks a dorsal fin. The length of this giant mammal can reach 20 meters and weight - 100 tons.
Unlike other whales that migrate to other places to breed, it lives only in arctic and subarctic waters. Unfortunately, these giants have been greatly reduced in our days, and they are certainly in danger.
In one of the articles by a scientist from the University of Alaska, Ned Rozelle, a whale over 210 years old is described. True, it should be noted that the accuracy of the method used to determine the age range was only 16%, which means that there is a huge probability that this animal could be 177-245 years old.
These studies show that the bowhead whale is one of the ancient mammals on the planet, although in the media, as a rule, there is information that turtles live for 300 years among the permanent inhabitants of the water depths, and for all other representatives of the underwater kingdom this is simply impossible . Worth considering...
Section 5 Hanako Koi
The koi carp belongs to the ornamental variety of common carps, which are bred in garden ponds familiar to all of us.
Fish of this species may have a different color, pattern or scale size. The most common colors are white, black, red, yellow, blue or cream.
Interestingly, the age of a carp can be calculated by the number of rings on the scales. By the way, the age of a tree is also determined by the rings located on the trunk. The oldest koi, Hanako, who died in July 1977, lived to be 226 years old.
Section 6. Giant tortoise
Long-lived reptiles include giant Seychelles tortoises, which are famous for their longevity. Their life expectancy averages 100-150 years. Of course, they cannot be attributed to those who actually live 300 years, but, according to the research of modern scientists, one of these representatives of the mentioned species was the Advaita tortoise, which surpassed all its relatives and lived for more than 250 years.
Advaita spent the last century of her existence in captivity in the Calcutta Zoo, where she died at a fairly advanced age. Even the lack of natural habitat and limited space did not affect, which in most cases, as a rule, adversely affects animals.
Section 7. Goldfish Tishka
Decorative fish that live in aquariums do not differ in particular vitality and longevity, often get sick and die. Usually they please their owners for no more than one year. But one goldfish named Tish became a real record holder for love of life and spent 43 years in the aquarium.
The owners accidentally won a small fish at an auction. With them, she spent her whole life until old age. She got into the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest aquarium fish in the world.
Section 8. Does a Raven Really Live for 300 Years?
In general, I would immediately like to note that such a statement is nothing more than a myth invented by lovers of these birds and connecting many mysteries, legends and secrets with them.
So, let's try to figure it out and look at the problem from a scientific point of view. 300 years? 200? Or maybe he is completely immortal?
It has always been believed that these representatives of the genus of birds can live for more than a hundred years. But, speaking about the life span of these birds, you need to decide which crows will be discussed. What is the snag? Let's try to explain. The thing is that there are two species: crows and crows, each of which has its own life expectancy, depending on the habitat and content.
So, crows. In nature, these living beings are subject to various diseases, attacks by enemies and malnutrition. Given that these birds live mainly next to humans, the ecological situation in large cities is also of great importance. What follows from this? Very simple! To the question of what kind of bird lives for 300 years, you can safely answer: definitely not a crow! In captivity, she can live up to 30 years, and in nature - no more than 10-15.
Their Crow cousins are much larger and more beautiful, their jet black plumage glittering and shimmering with green, blue and purple. However, the question "why crows live 300 years", unfortunately, can be classified as rhetorical. Why? The thing is that this longevity, like the stories that these birds have nine human lives, is nothing more than a beautiful legend, not supported by any scientific facts.
And yet, how long do ravens live? In fact, individual individuals in captivity can live up to a maximum of 70 years. And in natural habitats, their lifespan is even shorter - 30-40 years, on average, birds die at the age of 10-15 years.
Section 9. Immortal inhabitant of the planet Earth
True, isn't it, but the jellyfish Turritopsis nutricula, which lives in tropical and temperate waters, is considered an immortal inhabitant of our planet.
The uniqueness of this creature is that it is able to reverse its life cycle of development - from an adult, it again returns to the initial stage, turning into a small polyp. The secret lies in the ability of transdifferentiation, which consists in the transformation of cells of one type into another. This phenomenon is still little studied by scientists.
An adult jellyfish, having reached puberty, settles on seabed, retracts its tentacles and begins to turn into a polyp. The transformation of the cells of the whole body can take place indefinitely, so these creatures are able to live forever. It has been proved that the death of gelatinous organisms of the mentioned species is not associated with old age. Various diseases and predators pose a great danger to them. Thanks to a peculiar gift of rebirth, these jellyfish inhabit almost the entire world's oceans, and they are not threatened with extinction.
Scientists are interested in studying the phenomenon of the immortality of jellyfish. All research is carried out in the laboratory, and experts hope that scientific work will help reveal the secret of eternal life and youth. Well, as they say, wait and see!
A man who lives 300 years
After visiting the samadhi cave, we stayed in Kathmandu for three days. While I was putting the expedition records in order, V. M. Lobankov, together with other members of the expedition, held two additional meetings, each of which turned out to be very interesting.
What is written in the Vedas
Expedition member Sheskand Ariel organized a meeting with Professor of Nepal University, Sanskrit teacher Mr. Shivaraya Acharid Kavndaniayana. He was one of the best connoisseurs of the Vedas, and he knew the Vedas from the original source, written in the oldest language of the world - Sanskrit.
What is the Vedas? This is the most fundamental and ancient scripture, in basic terms similar to religion, but more detailed. It was written by an unknown author. Sanskrit - now a dead language - is considered the language spoken by the Atlanteans.
The Vedas are written according to some unusual logic, which does not coincide with our human logic at all. The Vedas are difficult to comprehend and difficult to perceive. Therefore, that summary of the essential essence of the Vedas given by Professor Shivaraya was very valuable.
Professor Shivaraya told Lobankov that in ancient times there was a global flood, as a result of which all the people of the previous civilization (Atlanteans) died. High in the Himalayas, one man survived, named Manu, who could meditate and enter into a state of samadhi. When the water began to recede, he came out of samadhi. Manu was not God, but he had a very great energy. He understood the language of the fishes and learned from them that another man named Sid was waiting for him on another unsubmerged mountain. Sid was a genetic clot and included everything: a person, the seed of animals, plants, etc. Manu, together with Sid, revived the civilization of people. Manu also created many Buddhas that helped regenerate humanity. This fragment from the Vedas, told by Professor Shivaraya, can be understood as evidence of the existence of the Human Gene Pool, together with the gene pool of animals and plants, which helped to revive life on earth after the Flood. And the Buddhas, leaving the state of samadhi, helped the resurgent humanity to develop along the path of progress.
Lobankov questioned the professor with particular care about samadhi. About the phenomenon of samadhi in the Vedas there is full information. A person can enter samadhi by disconnecting his consciousness from physical objects, when consciousness is in its pure form (in itself). In this case, the metabolism drops to zero and the energy exchange stops. Short samadhi can be done anywhere, but not near the fire. The best places to enter samadhi are considered holy places - Sadbala, which are located in the mountains on the border of eternal snows. In a long samadhi, it is best to enter in a cave. A person can stay in samadhi for as long as he likes.
What is Shambhala? - asked Lobankov.
This is a cave system with people in samadhi. This can be understood from the Vedas,” replied the professor.
Does Shambhala really exist on earth?
Yes, there is.
Is it possible to visit any samadhi cave in order to really prove to people the existence of ancient people in a state of samadhi? - asked Lobankov.
You will never be able to feel, touch and photograph people in samadhi, because this cannot be done and because they are protected. It's like mathematics, when, by solving an equation, we get a proof that cannot really be touched and touched, - Professor Shivaraya replied.
Strange comparison - "like mathematics"! On the one hand, people in samadhi really exist in the physical world, on the other hand, it is impossible to get to them and examine them. Apparently, the role of samadhi is too great to save life on earth.
It is quite possible that this is the same thing that H. P. Blavatsky wrote about, noting the creation of a “fenced-off place - Vara”, where, in addition to humans, there were seeds of animals, plants, etc.
It was from him that V. M. Lobankov and V. G. Yakovleva learned about a man who has lived for more than 300 years and is still alive.
Guru Noshari Nath
Nat runs one of the most famous ashrams (meditation schools) in Nepal and is a highly respected person in that country. He has over 100 parishioners every day. At the same time, he is the leader of the Spiritual Society for the study of ancient languages: Sanskrit, Prarit, Pali and Nepali.
Guru Noshari Nath traveled extensively in Nepal and Western Tibet. During one of his travels in 1992 in the mountains of Western Tibet, he met with a bigfoot (yeti) and sketched him appearance. Lobankov and Yakovleva saw this drawing and say that it depicts a hairy humanoid creature of enormous growth, stooped with long arms and short legs.
In the same 1992, Guru Noshari Nat met in Western Tibet with a man who had been living on earth for more than 300 years. The man's name is Kung-ga Georgie Lama. Usually in August on the day of the full moon, he enters the cave and plunges into the state of samadhi. After 6 months, he returns to people and lives a normal life for about 1 month. During this period of life, he eats only cow's milk and leaves of the catfish plant. After that, he again goes to the cave and plunges into samadhi for 6 months.
When Guru Noshari Nath was in the region of this cave, a local Western Tibetan lama told him the above about a man who lived for more than 300 years. Then the guru asked permission to visit this cave and see Kungu Georgie Lama in a state of samadhi. Given the religious rank and high spiritual level of guru Noshari Nat, the Western Tibetan lama took him to the cave. Entering the cave, the guru soon found Kunga Georgie Lama there in a state of samadhi. He had a long conversation with him and became convinced that everything told about his 300-year life was true.
Guru Noshari Nath
After talking about the main content of our research, Lobankov and Yakovleva asked the guru several direct questions.
Is the phenomenon of samadhi that safety moment of life on earth, when people who are in a state of long samadhi can, in the event of a global catastrophe, get out of samadhi and be the source of the continuation of the life of mankind?
Yes, the guru replied.
Are there many samadhi caves in the Himalayas and in Tibet?
Yes many.
Is it possible to see people in a state of samadhi in a cave?
Can. I saw Kungu Georgie Lama, - answered the guru.
Can I go with you to the cave where Kunga Georgie Lama is in samadhi? - asked Lobankov.
It is possible, - the guru answered. “But your stay in the samadhi cave next to Kunga Georgie Lama will be dangerous for him. You are not prepared and do not own meditation.
Why would our visit be dangerous for Kunga Georgie Lama? Will our bioenergetics destabilize the state of his samadhi?
Nevertheless, - Lobankov insisted, - maybe at some time it is still possible to visit Kungu Georgie Lama in a state of samadhi?
The Guru thought and replied:
It is better to enter the cave where Kunga Georgi Lama is located at 10-11 pm at any time of the year and month, but it is best in April or October.
Lobankov and Yakovleva insisted that guru Noshari Nath help organize this expedition to meet Kunga Georgie Lama. The Guru promised, but said that it was necessary to meet with him again approximately in 3-4 months - he would clarify some details.
Will it be possible to meet a person who lives more than 300 years
4 months after the end of the expedition, Lobankov specially went to Nepal to once again meet with guru Noshari Nat and discuss the issue of the upcoming expedition to meet a man who lives more than 300 years.
Why did we seek to meet this person? As a result of understanding the experience gained during the expedition (a trip to the samadhi cave, conversations with lamas, special people etc.), we realized that it is hardly possible to really see and examine people of previous civilizations in samadhi - samadhi caves are protected by a psycho-energetic barrier. In this case, it seemed very interesting to see and, if possible, examine a person of our civilization in samadhi. We understood that the psychoenergetic barrier in the samadhi caves with the people of our civilization should not exist. Therefore, such a meeting seemed realistic to us.
Guru Noshari Nath told Lobankov that he had received some new information. A man who has lived for over 300 years (Kunga Georgie Lama) changed his plans and will only go out of samadhi for 2 days during the full moon in July 1997, and then go back into samadhi in a cave. During these two days we can meet with him. The Guru also planned to go there himself. At other times, a meeting with Kunga Georgie Lama will be problematic for us. Moreover, Guru Noshari Nath added that we should dress up as lamas and take some meditation lessons and lama rites. In addition, the guru emphasized that this journey is dangerous, since the cave is located in the area of Mount Kailash.
Mysterious Mount Kailash
It turned out that next to Mount Kailash is the so-called "Valley of the Skeletons", which, according to evidence, is completely littered with bones. As Marat Fathlislamov, an Ufa resident, who spoke twice with Sathya Sai Baba and who has remarkable knowledge in the field of religious and occult sciences, said, the Mount Kailash region is a place where people go to die. Through the region of this mountain, as he said, passes an energy column that connects the Earth with the Universe. It is believed that if a person dies here, then his spirit easily ascends to the That Light along the energy column.
Further, we began to find more and more information about the presence of unusual energy in the area of Mount Kailash. Some say or write that the entrance to Shambhala is located in this area, others indicate that the entrance is located elsewhere.
But the most unpleasant information was not about unusual energy, but about numerous cases of death of people in the area of Mount Kailash Scientists from St. Petersburg reported that five Russian climbers who climbed Mount Kailash died one after another 1-1.5 years after ascension from an unknown illness. It was reported that a group of 200 pilgrims who froze in the mountains, scattered in different directions, died in the area of \u200b\u200bthis mountain. There are other alarming facts.
Whether this is true or not, I don't know. I called the Indian scientists and asked them about it. They responded that deaths in the Kailash area are actually recorded frequently, but they attribute this to a lack of oxygen and low temperatures. This opinion is questionable: the foot of Mount Kailash is located only at an altitude of about 2000 meters, and pilgrims who have lived in the mountains all their lives could hardly scatter in different directions and die one by one. It is impossible to exclude the possibility of exposing pilgrims to infrared radiation, which is believed to affect the human psyche, causing causeless fear, panic and even cardiac arrest.
We Europeans tend to think that we know everything in the world. However, let's remember that at the beginning of the century there were often cases of mysterious slow deaths of people who had visited certain places. Then no one knew that uranium deposits are located in these places, and death occurs as a result of radiation sickness. So now, at the end of the century, there is no certainty that we know about all sources of energy. It cannot be ruled out that in the region of Mount Kailash there is a zone of unknown modern science energy, which sometimes has such a detrimental effect on people.
Mount Kailash
But why did Georgie Lama enter samadhi Kunga in this area? Who knows, maybe this energy zone simultaneously acts as a barrier that does not allow disturbing people in a state of sacred samadhi. After all, as it is clear from the facts obtained during the expedition, the people of our civilization, unlike the people of previous civilizations, cannot create a protective psycho-energetic barrier of the samadhi cave.
In tourism and mountaineering, a lot depends on the leader. It is he who is responsible not only for the passage of the route, but also for the life of the participants in the campaign. So here, in the expedition, I, as a leader, am responsible for the life of each member of the expedition. I think that we still have little information about Mount Kailash. We need to understand this better. And for this we need to collect more information.
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One day the Counselor told his disciples a truly amazing story.
There was once a man who did not want to put up with the brevity of his earthly existence. Once he said to his best friend:
I intend to live three hundred years. Yes, yes, I'm not kidding! I just need to live three hundred years. Judge for yourself. I am now twenty-five and the owner of a small trading company. I don't have rich uncles, nor do I know bankers. Therefore, it will take a very long time until my company turns into a solid enterprise. But this will only be the first step. Because my main goal is to create the biggest trading business in the world.
The friend laughed.
Do you mean to say that you are going to compete with the East India Company?
Do not laugh. That's exactly what I want to do. Compete first, then win. According to my calculations, it will take at least seventy years. And since I will have to overcome not only the resistance of the East India Company, but also hundreds of smaller companies, I will not be mistaken if I add another thirty years. So, given my twenty-five today, it will take me one hundred and twenty-five years. For starters - because in this period I will only get to the top. And it takes another half a century to securely consolidate success.
I see that you have calculated everything, - ironically remarked a friend. - But why so many - thirty, fifty, seventy years?
Do not forget that we are talking about trade around the world. The journey to India takes almost six months. And another six months on the way back. A whole year - for a single trip! That's why I need such a long life. Of course, I can transfer the case to the heirs. But I am not yet married and do not know if I will have sons. And even more so, I don’t know if they will continue my undertakings or let everything go to the wind.
The friend stopped smiling and thought.
If I didn't know you as a serious person, I would think you're crazy. Well, suppose you convinced me. You have to live three hundred years. But one desire is not enough. I also want to live a long time, and many even dream of eternal life. However, only Ahasuerus succeeded in this, and even then not of his own free will. Or are you going to enrich the charlatans who sell the elixir of youth?
The young merchant was not embarrassed:
I have thoroughly studied this issue. There are people who are distinguished by unusual longevity. For example, scientists who set a goal to create a multi-volume body of knowledge. Gardeners who decide to bring new variety apples or wheat. Novelists who spend years writing a book. I found out that life expectancy depends to a large extent on our goals. If we set ourselves small, insignificant goals, or if we live without any goal at all, then it is not given to us to exceed the usual time. But if a person has a big goal that requires many years of work, then as if some forces support him until he fulfills his plan - he finishes the encyclopedia, breeds a new variety of apples, writes a novel. The big goal is a long life. My goal is very big, which means I can count on special longevity.
Everything you say is curious, but no one has heard of scientists and gardeners who have lived for more than a hundred years. And you're talking about three hundred!
But this time, too, he failed to shake his friend's confidence.
You know that people once lived fifty years, rarely longer. They were destroyed by frequent hunger, bad food, wars, and incurable diseases. Then the life expectancy rose to sixty, and today seventy-year old people are no longer surprised by anyone. Now, if I'm twenty-five now, then I can expect that by the time I'm seventy, the average age will increase another fifteen or twenty years. In other words, I will live ninety years in a completely natural way, without any miraculous elixirs!
His interlocutor shrugged.
I hope that you are right, because then I will be a long-liver. But still, three hundred is still very far away.
You don't consider that I will be an extremely rich man! - exclaimed the future ruler of the trading world. - This means that I will have the best food, the best medicines, the best doctors. And all this will give me another twenty years, no less.
Your reasoning reminds me of the paradox about Achilles, who will never catch up with the tortoise.
Only I will not catch up, but run away. And not from Achilles, but from death. In these twenty years, scientists and doctors will surely come up with new way lengthen life, even if only by twenty years. Most likely, it will be fabulously expensive, but the richest person in the world - and then I will already become such a person - will be able to afford any expenses. So, year after year, decade after decade, I will live three hundred years.
The friend shook his head.
Maybe you will live. But in half a century you will be a feeble old man! Well, I guess what you will say: thanks to daily gymnastics, you will be strong and healthy even at a hundred and fifty years old. However, old age affects not only the body, but also the mind. By the age of one hundred and twenty, you will inevitably fall into dementia. And what will be the use of your endless life? Unless you add trouble to your loved ones, who will be forced to take care of Ahasuerus, who has survived from the mind.
The brain is part of our body. You yourself said that the body must be exercised, otherwise the muscles will become flabby and weak. Old people fall into mental weakness because they voluntarily give up their usual worries and stop straining their minds. And the brain, which is in relaxation and idleness, inevitably begins to die. It doesn't threaten me. Imagine how busy the mind of a man who runs a worldwide trading enterprise! Introduced?
And everything he talked about and dreamed about came true! By the age of forty, he became the richest man in his hometown, by the age of fifty he was the most famous businessman in the capital, and at seventy he received congratulations from all over the world. When he was one hundred and ten years old, he finally achieved his goal. Compared to his trading empire, the German Hansa, the English East India Company, and the Dutch West India Company were little more than modest maritime associations.
He bought and sold Siberian furs and manila hemp, Indian rice and Mexican silver, Ceylon cinnamon and Malabar pepper, Brazilian sugar and Molluk cloves, ebony and black slaves, virginian tobacco and Chinese opium.
The Company employed tens of thousands of people. They concluded trade agreements in India, forbidden Japan and semi-forbidden China, opened trading posts and offices on all continents, led caravans through the passes of the Hindu Kush and the sands of Arabia, built forts and transshipment warehouses. And if local rulers refused to trade on the proposed terms, peaceful merchants and sailors suddenly turned into professional soldiers. A few volleys from the ship's guns - and the Company received goods for a quarter of the previous price.
When all the lands and continents were open and civilized, the Company began to build steel works and cloth manufactories, roads and bridges; she owned mines, mines, banks, insurance companies, tenement houses. Many monarchs and governments were indebted to the Company. Many wars began only after she agreed to lend to the attacking side. And they ended if the Company cut off the money source. In his unimaginable one hundred and eighty years, the owner of the Company was as healthy and vigorous as he was at forty. It seemed that the point was not at all in the miraculous means of rejuvenation that the best doctors created for him. For some unknown reason, old age and death decided to retreat from this stubborn, life-loving person.
He lived for a long time. So long that it outlived all of its employees. And those with whom he started, and those with whom he continued. He outlived his first best friend, second best friend, and third best friend. When he crossed the age of one hundred years, the abyss that separated him from the rest of the people became too deep. So he didn't have any more friends. What about women? If they found out that this handsome, youthful man was almost two hundred years old, then ... - in a word, he did not want them to find out about it.
But otherwise, everything went as he once foresaw. And then it went wrong.
Looking back, he realized when he had made a fatal mistake. When he decided to abandon new acquisitions. But history shows that as soon as the empire stops expanding and goes on the defensive, it is doomed to extinction. However, he could not do otherwise. It's time to put things in order in the huge building of the Company. She became too big and badly managed. Three hundred and fifty days a year he spent traveling. He negotiated, persuaded, reconciled, promised, threatened, punished, had friendly conversations, arranged dressings, rewarded, expelled, hired. And the remaining fifteen days he worked late in his office. And there was not a single day left to allow himself to rest and enjoy the fruits of his endless labors. Be that as it may, no one and nothing can always be on top. Great power gives rise to great enemies. Many powerful people no longer wanted to feel powerless and dependent on the Company. First in one state, then in another, decrees, decrees, firmans were issued on the deprivation of privileges, the increase in duties, the ban on exports, the closure of factories, and even the confiscation of the Company's property.
But there were also competitors. Individually, none of them posed a threat. But they snatched a piece of the market here, a crumb there, and, like small but gluttonous termites, undermined the once unshakable position of the Company. And they grew! Unknown trade artels before our eyes turned into serious opponents who unceremoniously invaded his rightful possessions.
He saw the dangers and was not going to wait for them to become insurmountable. He directed all his forces - and they were colossal - to oust competitors from the areas that he considered his fiefdom. But news of victory in one trade battle came at the same time as news of defeat in another.
He did not hesitate to sell all unprofitable or marginal enterprises. In vain. Things went from bad to worse.
He changed managers and assistants, bought the best people from competitors. It helped for a while. Very soon, the newcomers quit. And not only newcomers, but also the most capable and energetic workers, whom he considered the flesh of the flesh of the Company.
Why did they do this? he asked. He didn't like the answer. People no longer wanted to work for the Company. It was so large that a person who fell into it felt like a grain of sand on the seashore. Nothing decisive and meaningless grain of sand. The most daring and impatient, not wanting to be crushed by the petrified hierarchy and mossy traditions, left for small firms. At least there you could find out what they are worth in the present case.
But main reason the decline was in himself. He overwhelmed everyone with his personality. People entered his office like a temple. Left alone with him, they became shy and speechless. Many were uneasy at the mere thought that they were talking to a person who lived a hundred years before they were born and, quite likely, will live a hundred years after their death. Meetings turned into monologues, his decisions and proposals were accepted without disputes. And how to argue with the legendary founder of the Company?
You can say no more. The once great Company was slowly but steadily falling into decline. The competitors were coming. The company lost first place, then tenth and continued to slide lower and closer to mediocrity and obscurity.
Fifty, maybe seventy years have passed since he noticed the first cracks in his life's work. He sat in his office and signed an order for the sale of his last plant. Everything else - banks, insurance companies, trading companies, mines and mines - have long been sold or closed. The company was no more. There was nothing to sell. All items are out of stock.
Only a very old man remained. And he had to do something about it too. He was rich. Although not as rich as before, he would have enough money for another three hundred and even five hundred years. But it wasn't about the money. He understood that now, when he retires, the life force will begin to leave him. In a year he will become a decrepit old man, and in another year he will go to the grave.
He looked at the tall cabinet where the gifts he had received for countless anniversaries stood. Namely - on a beautiful leather case with a pair of dueling pistols.
"Why not? he thought calmly. - It's a good way out. In any case, I will spare myself the humiliating aging.”
He got up, went to the closet, opened the door, but heard a cautious knock. The secretary's head poked through the door.
Excuse me, but the Minister of Finance is in the waiting room. He asks to be taken on an urgent matter.
Why did he come? Doesn't he know I don't do business anymore?
I told him, but he insists. Says he needs your advice. A matter of national importance!
And then he realized that he was wrong. He has a product for sale! The product is of the highest quality and in such quantity that it will last for hundreds of years. This is his experience. An experience that no one else had. Except Methuselah. But what did he see in his village?
And then I decided to become a Counselor and live forever.
Remember, in children's fairy tales it is very often mentioned that, they say, a certain positive hero, after certain, as a rule, successful deeds, rules, and lived for a long, long time? Surely many of us can remember even a few examples.
But have you ever thought about someone who actually lives 300 years? And are there such creatures in the world at all, or is all this longevity nothing more than another fiction of science fiction writers?
Let's try to understand the situation. In this article, from a scientific point of view, we will follow and justify who lives 300 years on planet Earth and whether this is possible in principle. The reader will get acquainted with several types of living beings and get a brief description of their life activity.
Section 1. General Information
Agree, the theme of immortality has always worried humanity. Perhaps it would be foolish to ask the question "why". Well, of course, the whole point is that this would allow people to have power over all living things. Can you imagine what would happen if we finally acquired the ability to regenerate unhealthy organs and restore lost limbs? To put it mildly, it would be great!
To date, the best scientists on the planet are working on the problem of life extension, but, unfortunately, this remains only within the limits of dreams.
But if for us this kind of possibility is just a fantasy, then for many animals it is in the order of things. Of course, they do not live forever, and just like us, they grow old and die over time, but compared to humans, these are real longevity champions. And some individuals even survived their brothers and were eyewitnesses of many historical events on the planet. It is a pity that we have not learned to understand them properly ... How much valuable information could be obtained!
So which animal living on Earth lives the longest? Are there any record holders? Let's take a look at a few compelling examples.
Section 2. Amazing red sea urchin
These mysterious sea creatures live in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, mainly off the western coast of North America. Red sea urchins prefer quiet places on the almost uninhabited ocean floor and usually live at a depth of at least 90 meters. Their life span is several centuries.
Scientists know that all of them move little, attach to the sea soil and feed mainly only on small organisms, which are swallowed with water and then filtered.
Modern researchers believe that echinoderms of this species are practically immortal and show no signs of aging. By the way, sea urchins and at the age of one hundred years are as prolific as their ten-year-old relatives. They can only die from diseases or predators.
Indeed, a sea urchin is one who lives 300 years, and maybe longer.
Section 3. Have you heard about the tuatara?
This mysterious animal was not properly studied until many years after its discovery. Subsequently, it turned out that such creatures disappeared from the face of the earth many millions of years ago, and the hatteria remained the only species of this order of reptiles.
It is extremely interesting that the internal structure of the organs of the tuatara has a similar physiology with the crocodile, turtle, fish and snake, as well as with the ancient, long-extinct megalosaurs, ichthyosaurs and teleosaurs.
Today, we can say with confidence that tuatara are contemporaries of the dinosaur era and can reach the age of two hundred years.
Section 4. Bowhead whale
The bowhead whale is dark in color and lacks a dorsal fin. The length of this giant mammal can reach 20 meters, and weight - 100 tons.
Unlike other whales that migrate elsewhere to breed, the bowhead whale lives only in arctic and subarctic waters. Unfortunately, these giants have been greatly reduced in our days, and they are certainly in danger.
In one of the articles by a scientist from the University of Alaska, Ned Rozelle, a whale over 210 years old is described. True, it should be noted that the accuracy of the method used to determine the age range was only 16%, which means that there is a huge probability that this animal could be 177-245 years old.
These studies show that the bowhead whale is one of the ancient mammals on the planet, although in the media, as a rule, there is information that turtles live for 300 years among the permanent inhabitants of the water depths, and for all other representatives of the underwater kingdom this is simply impossible . Worth considering...
Section 5 Hanako Koi
The koi carp belongs to the ornamental variety of common carps, which are bred in garden ponds familiar to all of us.
Fish of this species may have a different color, pattern or scale size. The most common colors are white, black, red, yellow, blue or cream.
Interestingly, the age of a carp can be calculated by the number of rings on the scales. By the way, the age of a tree is also determined by the rings located on the trunk. The oldest koi, Hanako, who died in July 1977, lived to be 226 years old.
Section 6. Giant tortoise
Long-lived reptiles include giant Seychelles tortoises, which are famous for their longevity. Their life expectancy averages 100-150 years. Of course, they cannot be attributed to those who actually live 300 years, but, according to the research of modern scientists, one of these representatives of the mentioned species was the Advaita tortoise, which surpassed all its relatives and lived for more than 250 years.
Advaita spent the last century of her existence in captivity in the Calcutta Zoo, where she died at a fairly advanced age. Even the lack of natural habitat and limited space did not affect, which in most cases, as a rule, adversely affects animals.
Section 7. Goldfish Tishka
Decorative fish that live in aquariums do not differ in particular vitality and longevity, often get sick and die. Usually they please their owners for no more than one year. But one goldfish named Tish became a real record holder for love of life and spent 43 years in the aquarium.
The owners accidentally won a small fish at an auction. With them, she spent her whole life until old age. She got into the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest aquarium fish in the world.
Section 8. Does a Raven Really Live for 300 Years?
In general, I would immediately like to note that such a statement is nothing more than a myth invented by lovers of these birds and connecting many mysteries, legends and secrets with them.
So, let's try to figure it out and look at the problem from a scientific point of view. How long does a raven live? 300 years? 200? Or maybe he is completely immortal?
It has always been believed that these representatives of the genus of birds can live for more than a hundred years. But, speaking about the life span of these birds, you need to decide which crows will be discussed. What is the snag? Let's try to explain. The thing is that there are two species: crows and crows, each of which has its own life expectancy, depending on the habitat and content.
So, crows. In nature, these living beings are subject to various diseases, attacks by enemies and malnutrition. Given that these birds live mainly next to humans, the ecological situation in large cities is also of great importance. What follows from this? Very simple! To the question of what kind of bird lives for 300 years, you can safely answer: definitely not a crow! In captivity, she can live up to 30 years, and in nature - no more than 10-15.
Their Crow cousins are much larger and more beautiful, their jet black plumage glittering and shimmering with green, blue and purple. However, the question "why crows live 300 years", unfortunately, can be classified as rhetorical. Why? The thing is that this longevity, like the stories that these birds have nine human lives, is nothing more than a beautiful legend, not supported by any scientific facts.
And yet, how long do ravens live? In fact, individual individuals in captivity can live up to a maximum of 70 years. And in natural habitats, their life span is even shorter - 30-40 years, on average, birds die at the age of 10-15 years.
Section 9. Immortal inhabitant of the planet Earth
True, isn't it, but the jellyfish Turritopsis nutricula, which lives in tropical and temperate waters, is considered an immortal inhabitant of our planet.
The uniqueness of this creature is that it is able to reverse its life cycle of development - from an adult, it again returns to the initial stage, turning into a small polyp. The secret of the eternal life of the jellyfish lies in the ability of transdifferentiation, which consists in the transformation of cells of one type into another. This phenomenon is still little studied by scientists.
An adult jellyfish, having reached puberty, settles on the seabed, retracts its tentacles and begins to turn into a polyp. The transformation of the cells of the whole body can take place indefinitely, so these creatures are able to live forever. It has been proved that the death of gelatinous organisms of the mentioned species is not associated with old age. Various diseases and predators pose a great danger to them. Thanks to a peculiar gift of rebirth, these jellyfish inhabit almost the entire world's oceans, and they are not threatened with extinction.
Scientists are interested in studying the phenomenon of the immortality of jellyfish. All research is carried out in the laboratory, and experts hope that scientific work will help reveal the secret of eternal life and youth. Well, as they say, wait and see!
They have long diverged in the definitions of how long a person lived in ancient times. According to archaeologists - 20-30 years. According to the Bible - seven to nine centuries. It is possible that the truth lies somewhere in between...
... In 1974, Lebanon (a French colony in 1918-1943) demanded that France return 12 Phoenician mummies that were taken out of the country in 1921-1926. expedition of French scientists, and then disappeared. It is still unclear whether the "cocoons" of the ancient Phoenicians were sold to private collections, given to museums, or even stolen. In 1991 and 2004 the Lebanese repeated the request, but there was no response from France. According to the Lebanese side, the mummies were seized in the city of Byblos and the temple complex of Baalbek: in the 20s of the XX century. French archaeologists excavated there: Pierre Monte and Maurice Dunand. It would seem, what's new? The British Museum does not return Greece for 200 years, and Venice refuses to return the throne of the Byzantine emperors. However, in early July, the Lebanese press, citing anonymous sources, reported that mummies have been studied in the laboratories of the French intelligence services for half a century. For what reason? Allegedly, back in 1962, an analysis of mummies showed that each of the 12 Phoenicians died at about the age of ... 300 years!
rejuvenated by blood
As you understand, there is no documentary confirmation of this information, - explains Vice Director of the Byblos Archive Alexander Dzhemir. -
I can only say that the study of longevity in Phenicia was carried out at the state level. King Hiram I, who ruled from 969-936. BC e., ordered the priests of Baal to find a recipe for eternal youth. For their research, they even built two temples in Byblos and Baalbek. What happened next is unknown. Hiram obviously did not wait for the recipe - he died at the age of 53.
Meanwhile, 9 out of 12 mysterious mummies were found by Monte and Dunand precisely during the excavations of the temple of Baal in northern Lebanon. By order of the king, the priests were not to leave the building without finding the "secret of the miracle." Hiram burned with the idea of longevity: in addition to the experiment with the priests, he equipped a sea expedition to the mysterious country of Ophir. This state (mentioned in the Bible) was ruled by six elders in masks hiding their faces, each aged from 300 to 500 (!) years. The common people did not lag behind the kings then: in Carthage (also a Phoenician colony), until the start of the Punic Wars, women had the right to wash themselves once a year with the blood of murdered slaves: if the ceremony was carried out according to the rules of the moon goddess Tanit, then she had to have mercy and take it for herself " 20 years old." In 264 BC. e. this brutal procedure was banned by the city council, and since then blood rejuvenation was allowed ... only to the priestesses of Tanith.
In the basements of the temple of Baal, archaeologists have found entire rooms filled with human bones, - says historian Rahim Heydar. - Baal was a monstrous god - the Phoenicians sacrificed even children to him. However, such things happened in public, during the festivities. Why the priests killed so many people in the dungeons - there is no explanation. Either they prayed to Baal to grant longevity to King Hiram with the help of continuous sacrifices, or ... they tested the drug they created on living slaves. It remains to be assumed that the mummies found in the temple are the bodies of priests who nevertheless managed to create the "elixir of life". And it is clear why they are not given back ... After all, the recipe for longevity costs much more than a million oil wells.
Have kids at 90?
…Historians and the Bible have long disagreed on how long people lived in antiquity. Studies of the remains show: the average life expectancy during the reign of the Ramses dynasty in Egypt was 25-30 years ... At 40, a person was considered an old man. The Bible insists: Adam lived 930 years, his son Seth - 912, Noah (who built the ark) - 950, and the most important biblical centenarian is Methuselah, who went to paradise at ... 969 years! At 90, according to the Bible, these people gave birth to children, and at 125 they were considered to have entered the age of maturity. Could this be? The church historian Eusebius of Caesarea in his notes reported that they ruled the country for 100 years, and one such case was documented - this is Pharaoh Pepi II, who sat on the throne at the age of six and died 94 years later (in 2184 BC) . In other words, if we transfer this to modern realities, then Pepi II has reached the age of ... 400 years!
Even among the ancient chroniclers there were disputes why some people are given longevity, while others are not, - notes Lebanese historian Armen Adabashian. - Herodotus wrote about a special source in Ethiopia: drinking its water, many Ethiopian kings and their courtiers lived to be 200 years old. Of course, 75% of such rumors are legends, but ... why not allow the version that there were still mixtures of natural medicines that allowed the rulers of ancient states to live longer than their subjects?
...Most likely, the dispute between Lebanon and France will not end in anything. Something else is much more interesting: were there really people 3000 years ago who could live for three to five centuries thanks to miracle drugs? Alas, the answer to this question will not be received soon.
Where did the ancient countries disappear - Ophir, El Dorado, Saguenay and Hyperborea? Did they really exist? Read about it in the next issue of AiF.
