长生不老是人类的一大追求，这是驱动古代中国炼丹术的最大动力，从而推动了古代中国冶炼技术和化学的发展（近代以来落后了是另一个话题）。《西游记》中描述了老子孜孜以求的炼丹，以及蟠桃、人参果和唐僧肉的神奇功效，听来令人心旷神怡。

实现长生不老的一个很好的途径就是返老还童，达到这个地步就是修炼成神仙了。再次一点，传说《天龙八部》中的天山童佬就掌握和实现了这项超高技术。

眼见为实，当然至今，人们还没有见到真正的展示。可是，今天的新闻，英国爱丁堡的科学家们就展示了这种可能性。 我表示谨慎的高兴，至于细节和真正的可能性，还有待于小同行们的评述。新闻细节下。

爱丁堡大学的科学家首次成功地让一只活动物的一个衰老器官变得更年轻。由此，人们希望，这一发现可以为将来修复包括心脏和大脑在内的人类衰老器官铺平道路。

据《爱丁堡晚报》（Edinburgh Evening News）报道（英文在最下部），爱丁堡大学的英国医学研究理事会再生医学中心的研究人员通过操纵动物基因成功地让一只衰老小鼠的胸腺获得新生。

位于心脏附近的胸腺对免疫系统至关重要，因为它可以生产抵抗感染的T-细胞。但是，人类到了70岁时，胸腺就会急剧萎缩，使免疫系统的效能降低。这就意味着人们在变老后将失去抵抗诸如流感病毒感染的能力。

爱丁堡大学的这个研究小组把研究目标对准了蛋白质FOXN1。该蛋白质帮助控制胸腺重要基因的开启。他们在试验中使用了转基因小鼠，并用化学品来增加它们的蛋白质水平。结果显示，获得再生的胸腺比未受到治疗的小鼠的胸腺体积大两倍。

Edinburgh scientists ‘reverse ageing’ in mice

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/edinburgh-scientists-reverse-ageing-in-mice-1-3370150

SCIENTISTS at Edinburgh University have succeeded in regenerating an elderly organ in a living animal into a more youthful state for the first time.

It is hoped that the discovery could pave the way for future treatments in humans to revive declining organs including the heart and brain.

The researchers, from the Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the university, succeeded in rejuvenating the thymus in ageing mice by manipulating the genetics of the animals.

The thymus, which sits near the heart, is a vital part of the immune system and produces T-cells to fight off infection.

But by the age of 70 the thymus shrinks in size dramatically, making the immune system less effective, meaning people lose the ability to fight off infections such as flu as they get older.

The team targeted the protein FOXN1, which helps to control how important genes in the thymus are switched on. They used genetically modified mice to allow them to increase levels of the protein using chemicals. The regenerated thymus was more than twice the size of the organ in the mice who were not treated.