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Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by msiyer on Thursday February 13, 2020 @11:55PM (#22324050)
This thought experiment is neither just a thought nor an experiment. This is the reality of life - every single cell in the body of a plant or animal is replaced every few months. Essentially, talking about the physical body, we are not what we were a few months ago.

EDIT: Agreed, a few types of brain cells do not get replaced, but everything else does. My point still stands. Physically, we are not what we were a few months ago.

Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by hn_throwaway_99 on Friday February 14, 2020 @12:05AM (#22324088)
> This is the reality of life - every single cell in the body of a plant or animal is replaced every few months.

This is laughably false.

Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by doikor on Friday February 14, 2020 @12:53AM (#22324272)
Outside of some cells in the brain all the cells do get replaced. But there are some that have lifespans of over a year (white blood cells) and some only a few days (cells in a human colon)
Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by hn_throwaway_99 on Friday February 14, 2020 @01:14AM (#22324343)
Osteocytes in your bone have a half life of 25 years, and many of them don't get "replaced" even after they die.
Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by fg6hr on Friday February 14, 2020 @02:09AM (#22324571)
It's not just the reality of life, it's the essense of reality. Everything "real" is looks like the Ship of Theseus and if something doesn't look like that ship, it's not real.
Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by nojvek on Friday February 14, 2020 @12:35AM (#22324199)
Do you have a source for your claim?
Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by nickcox on Friday February 14, 2020 @12:50AM (#22324260)
Not sure it's on the GP to provide a source but here's one:

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/life-span-of-human...

Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by nojvek on Saturday February 15, 2020 @09:18AM (#22335428)
I like how HN downvotes when asking for a “source”.

I was merely expecting a “this is false because of X”. Rather than “this is false”

I guess we all have our biases.

Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by beaner on Friday February 14, 2020 @12:41AM (#22324223)
Does the person he's replying to?
Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by msiyer on Monday February 24, 2020 @10:47PM (#22410766)
The complexity is mind boggling. Physically, we are not what we were a few months ago. And what exactly is physicality?

People were commenting that the idea that every cell is replaced in a living organism is 'laughable'. Brain cells and osteocytes were cited as examples of cells that are never replaced.

However, I still think, and more strongly than ever, that brain cells and osteocytes can be examples of unchanging cells if an only if it is proven beyond a shadow of doubt that every single atom constituting such cells remains intact during the lifetime of such cells.

Since the human body is subjected to a lot of physical stress and damage and repair is continuous, it is possible that damaged brain cells or osteocytes get replaced with new ones. Need to read more about this, though.

Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by WoahNoun on Friday February 14, 2020 @12:26AM (#22324171)
You think every brain cell is replaced every few months? Please delete this comment and read a biology textbook.
Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by msiyer on Friday February 14, 2020 @12:57AM (#22324288)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16495940?access_num=1649...

Adult neurogenesis or brain plasticity is a fact. Skin cells, blood cells and all types of cells have a finite lifespan - a few days to a few months.

Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by hn_throwaway_99 on Friday February 14, 2020 @01:10AM (#22324325)
Just because neurogenesis exists, it most definitely does not follow that "every single cell in the body of a plant or animal is replaced every few months", which is what you said.

Osteocytes in human bone can live up to 50 years.

Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by msiyer on Friday February 14, 2020 @01:38AM (#22324446)
Can live up to 50 years. OK. What happens when they do not? Does the body not regenerate them? Various kinds of stress can cause them to not live that long. It is not as black and white.
Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by shreyansj on Friday February 14, 2020 @12:31AM (#22324187)
Are you saying that a brain cell is immortal through one’s life?
Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by ryanhuff on Friday February 14, 2020 @12:51AM (#22324265)
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/phenomena/2013/02...

"New neurons are made in just two parts of the brain—the hippocampus, involved in memory and navigation, and the olfactory bulb, involved in smell (and even then only until 18 months of age). Aside from that, your neurons are as old as you are and will last you for the rest of your life. They don’t divide, and there’s no turnover."

Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by dmoy on Friday February 14, 2020 @12:49AM (#22324256)
Yea some of them are. Obviously not every cell in the brain, but some types are not replaced.
Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by mnm1 on Friday February 14, 2020 @01:21AM (#22324375)
I think this applies to most atoms in the body over time: https://stevegrand.wordpress.com/2009/01/12/where-do-those-d...

But while it applies to many cells over varied lengths of time (up to many years), it doesn't apply to all cells.

https://www.livescience.com/33179-does-human-body-replace-ce...

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/does-body-replace-itself-s...

So the idea does apply but not exactly as you claim and it's definitely not absolute, even for atoms, let alone cells.

Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by msiyer on Friday February 14, 2020 @01:50AM (#22324489)
I am not a biologist. One way or the other the body is in a constant state of flux. Even if 90% of body is regenerated over a period of time, it is still a great wonder.
Re:Japan has 33k businesses at least a century old by jpster on Friday February 14, 2020 @12:01AM (#22324077)
“You can never step into the same river twice.”