Some more "it's definitely going to happen" stories from Ray's newsletter. All links get copied to their respective page for archiving.

Avert Death

New technique to Alzheimer's restores already lost synapses - alternative to failed approaches that attack amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles.
http://www.kurzweilai.net/reversing-the-loss-of-brain-connections-in-alzheimers-disease

I try to avoid filling up the "avert" section with cancer advances as there are so many, but this story describes a totally novel approach using high molecular weight hyaluronan (HMW-HA) that has been determined to help the naked mole rat live cancer free.
http://www.kurzweilai.net/biologists-identify-chemical-behind-cancer-resistance-in-naked-mole-rats

Survive Disaster
Grand Challenge announced by NASA to find all asteroids that threaten significant human populations - one of big ones that we may need to survive however immortal we make our bodies. In fact, the longer we live, the more likely we'll have to deal with a potential planet killer in our lifetimes.
http://www.kurzweilai.net/nasa-announces-asteroid-grand-challenge
Extend Life
Rhodiola rosea found to increase fruit fly lifespan by 24% on top of restricted calorie effect.
http://www.kurzweilai.net/herbal-extract-boosts-fruit-fly-lifespan-by-nearly-25-percent