1. It's Google's latest venture and its focus is unraveling the secrets of aging and longevity.
Not immortality per se (though, it is Google after all, so I'm not going to rule it out) but a more broad spectrum approach to looking at all aspects of health, aging and what kills us.
2. Calico will have some pretty solid Google-resources moving forward.
Since Google has some stake in 23andMe, you can be certain the genomics will be a major focus of Calico's investigations. Genetics too are known to play a role in disease and factors that influence longevity.
3. Larry Page, Google's CEO, doesn't see Calico as Google's "cancer cure."
In fact, in an interview with the New York Times, Page points out that even if we were to "solve cancer" we wouldn't be tacking on that many years to the average life expectancy.
Cancer's tragic, sure, but in the grand scheme of things, it's not as prevalent as other conditions that are just as likely to prevent us from, you know, living forever.
4. Remember the name: Arthur Levinson
Although Page made the official announcement regarding Calico, the project is actually being spearheaded by a former CEO of Genentech. He's also a chairman of Apple. Apple and Google, the two technological megaliths, are teaming up to work on health care? Bazinga.
5. Calico isn't going to be huge. At least not right away.
Google is keeping mum on how much money they're investing, how many people they're hiring (Pick me! Pick me!) and some estimates say that we won't even see anything come of Calico for at least a decade. But maybe they're keeping some big secret under their hat... like robots.
6. Google as a whole is interested in "weird" stuff, so Calico might actually be focused on some less than mainstream ideas and health and technology.
But this might imply that they're "thinking forward" about issues that might crop up in the next several decades.
Page said in that same interview, "In some industries, it takes 10 or 20 years to go from an idea to something being real." He continued, "Health care is certainly one of those areas... Maybe we should shoot for the things that are really, really important so 10 or 20 years from now we have those things done."
7. The name Calico is actually an abbreviation for "California Life Company" -- not the textile nor the kitty. Though, it's no coincidence that it shares the name with the kitty -- which is known for its varied and fascinating genetic profile.
Visit http://www.calicolabs.com/
Not immortality per se (though, it is Google after all, so I'm not going to rule it out) but a more broad spectrum approach to looking at all aspects of health, aging and what kills us.
2. Calico will have some pretty solid Google-resources moving forward.
Since Google has some stake in 23andMe, you can be certain the genomics will be a major focus of Calico's investigations. Genetics too are known to play a role in disease and factors that influence longevity.
3. Larry Page, Google's CEO, doesn't see Calico as Google's "cancer cure."
In fact, in an interview with the New York Times, Page points out that even if we were to "solve cancer" we wouldn't be tacking on that many years to the average life expectancy.
Cancer's tragic, sure, but in the grand scheme of things, it's not as prevalent as other conditions that are just as likely to prevent us from, you know, living forever.
4. Remember the name: Arthur Levinson
Although Page made the official announcement regarding Calico, the project is actually being spearheaded by a former CEO of Genentech. He's also a chairman of Apple. Apple and Google, the two technological megaliths, are teaming up to work on health care? Bazinga.
5. Calico isn't going to be huge. At least not right away.
Google is keeping mum on how much money they're investing, how many people they're hiring (Pick me! Pick me!) and some estimates say that we won't even see anything come of Calico for at least a decade. But maybe they're keeping some big secret under their hat... like robots.
6. Google as a whole is interested in "weird" stuff, so Calico might actually be focused on some less than mainstream ideas and health and technology.
But this might imply that they're "thinking forward" about issues that might crop up in the next several decades.
Page said in that same interview, "In some industries, it takes 10 or 20 years to go from an idea to something being real." He continued, "Health care is certainly one of those areas... Maybe we should shoot for the things that are really, really important so 10 or 20 years from now we have those things done."
7. The name Calico is actually an abbreviation for "California Life Company" -- not the textile nor the kitty. Though, it's no coincidence that it shares the name with the kitty -- which is known for its varied and fascinating genetic profile.
Visit http://www.calicolabs.com/