Since the beginning of civilization, humans have been fueled by a desire to avoid the decay that's coming with old age. Today, we spend billions of dollars each year to eradicate cancer, dementia or diabetes. But even when we find cures for these and other diseases, we still don't change our ultimate prognosis: death.

But what if, instead of focusing on diseases, we would focus on eradicating aging and reverse engineering our biological clock? Today, science is on the brink of providing us with the proverbial Fountain of Youth and the possibility of living radically extended and healthy lifespans.

For those who are familiar with the subjects of aging, transhumanism and futurology, today's guest, Dr. Aubrey de Grey needs no introduction. He is the biomedical gerontologist known for his view that medical technology will one day allow humans to control the aging process and live healthily into our hundreds, or maybe even thousands. In fact, Aubrey has said that the first human being to live to 500 years old may already be alive today.

Dr. Aubrey de Grey is the Chief Science Officer of SENS Research Foundation, a California based biomedical research charity that performs and funds laboratory research dedicated to combating aging. In addition, Aubrey is editor-in-chief of Rejuvenation Research, the world's highest impact peer-reviewed journal focused on intervention in aging.

In this conversation with Aubrey, you'll hear:

02:36 Why aging is the biggest health crisis the world is facing

04:28 The reason why we think about aging differently than other diseases

07:11 What causes aging

08:46 The hallmarks of aging and the strategies to prevent them

15:07 Does it make sense to maintain ourselves as well as possible until the anti aging technologies arrive via diet, biohacking and self care?

18:22 Why it is vital politicians and policy makers deal with the topic of drastically extended lifespan now.

24:08 How society and our economic systems will benefit from a healthy older generation with a drastically extended lifespan

25:53 Why overpopulation is not the problem it is commonly thought to be with regards to drastically extended lifespans

33:48 How far we are from the point in time when people will live to 150 years and more

41:32 Aubrey’s practices

Resources mentioned in this episode:

SENS Research Foundation

Lifespan: Why We Age and Why We don’t Have to by David Sinclair