Humans may be the only creatures that are aware of their mortality. There is no evidence that other animals know their time on Earth is finite. The realization that we and everyone we know will someday die must be one of the more unsettling discoveries of childhood.
Ever since humans recognized we have a limited lifespan, that knowledge has shaped our cultures, religions and philosophies. Although we make plans, pursue careers and behave as though we will live indefinitely, the fear of death and the desire to transcend it remain.
As a species, we have made some major strides against mortality. In modern times, death from violence, disease and famine has become less common than it once was. At the same time, medical advances and a dramatic decline in fertility rates have produced aging societies. The proportion of people older than 65 is rising rapidly, while the working-age population that supports them shrinks. Understanding aging is therefore an urgent practical challenge. If we can delay its effects, older people may remain healthy, independent and productive for longer.
But alongside this public health imperative is an enduring dream. A growing number of tech billionaires are funding efforts not merely to slow aging but to defeat it altogether. Their goal is radical life extension and, ultimately, something approaching immortality. But is that even possible? These efforts have scientists chasing one of the biggest mysteries of life itself: Is there a biological reason that humans must die? And if not, could we one day live forever?
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