It’s unclear whether the 48-year-old entrepreneur is currently receiving parabiosis treatments. Bercovici reports that a Thiel Capital employee—actually, the “Personal Health Director to Peter Thiel,” according to his LinkedIn page—previously expressed interest in the technique to Jesse Karmazin, the founder of Ambrosia LLC, a company that has been looking for volunteers over the age of 35 to receive blood transfusions from individuals under the age of 25. Bercovici notes that Silicon Valley is abound with rumors of wealthy tech elites experimenting with parabiosis, and Gawker has reported that it received a tip in June claiming that Thiel “spends $40,000 per quarter to get an infusion of blood from an 18-year-old based on research conducted at Stanford on extending the lives of mice.” When Thiel was interviewed by Bercovici last year, he told the reporter that he hadn’t “quite, quite, quite started yet.” A spokesman for Thiel Capital told Inc. that nothing had changed since then.
Thiel himself has invested in a number of biotech start-ups, including companies like Stemcentrx, which seeks to use stem-cell technology to cure cancer, and he’s given $6 million to biomedical gerontologist Aubrey de Grey’s Sens Foundation, which seeks to extend human lifespans. Thiel’s Breakout Labs funds a number of biotech start-ups. He’s also signed up with cryogenics company Alcor to be deep-frozen when (or if, a more optimistic death-cheating evangelist would say) he dies. There are three ways you can approach death, Thiel has said. “You can accept it, you can deny it, or you can fight it. I think our society is dominated by people who are into denial or acceptance, and I prefer to fight it.”
Thiel litigated the demise of Gawker. This article doesn't say that blood is coming from missing children, but I can't imagine there enough 18 year olds willing to support this industry with their blood.
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2impendingdoom ago
Thiel litigated the demise of Gawker. This article doesn't say that blood is coming from missing children, but I can't imagine there enough 18 year olds willing to support this industry with their blood.
LostandFound ago
The younger the better by their logic 18 would probably be the youngest age that can actually legally give consent.
pizzaequalspedo ago
I am sure there are a never ending supply of 18 year olds who would do this legally for money... Think college students donating blood, etc.
However as you say, for many people wanting to try to extend their lives, 18 won't be young enough.
LostandFound ago
Lol at 18 I would have let them latch onto me like a fucking novelty oversized mosquito for cash.