What if instead of checking your watch for the time, it told you how long you had left to live?
It may seem like science fiction, but British scientists have developed a wristwatch-style gadget which uses laser beams to tell if someone is aging quicker than normal, the Daily Mail reports.
The beams analyze endothelial cells, an important indicator of a person’s well-being. An example of the device’s use would be telling someone that unless they make a lifestyle change, they will probably die in 20 years.
The prototype has been tested out on several people already and is planned to be available in the UK in a year.
But there is a risk people using the device may become more fatalistic and decide to live it up while they can.
Professor Peter McClintock, one of the project’s founders, acknowledged this risk, but added: “You might think that you are aging too fast and do something about it.”
“You might improve your lifestyle, have fewer deep-fried Mars bars and go out for a run,” he said, referencing the popular but deeply unhealthy Scottish snack.