Allie Sullberg for Business Insider
Living forever is not a new fantasy. To mature in mind alone, without the aches, pains, wrinkles, and ailments that emerge as our cells break down over time. Feel spritely and sharp well into our 90s. Eliminate the looming prospect of heart disease or dementia.
But fresh buzz about aging bubbled up during the pandemic. Jeff Bezos dropped $3 billion on Altos Labs, a start-up where leading scientists from across the world are trying to work out how to "rejuvenate" cells to offset aging and all its perils. Sam Altman, of OpenAI fame, invested $180 million in a niche startup that is trying to extend human lifespan by 10 years. Peter Thiel invested in Unity Biotechnology, which is studying senescent cells — cells that do not break down as we age.
It isn't all about radical science advances, though. Decades of research on Super-Agers, including those in the five "Blue Zones," show that simple habits, like walking regularly and eating healthy carbs, are underappreciated ways to fortify our bodies and minds.
Business Insider's "Forever Young" explores the many ways we as a society are pursuing longer, healthier lives. From new drugs to supplements to lifestyle tweaks to scientific experiments, here's how scientists — and everyday people — are trying to turn back the clock on aging.