One idea I've heard is that telomeres gain increasing stress and damage after years of DNA replication, from the torsional strain of the spiral of DNA as it splits and reforms in the replication process. How in the world could you fix that? DNA lube?
I thought telomeres just get shortened during replication but not in stem cells or something like that? A while ago since i was in that rabbit hole.
I think my conclusion was, we would have to fix programmed cell death vs. immune system & cancerous behavior, add 4x replication for dna-repair like some algae do it, and fix something in ribosomes (which i forgot).
Then again, we probably don't have to meddle with programmed cell death at all?