By James Mitchell Crow – Nature –
Will a human ever celebrate a 150th birthday? You bet, says Stephen Austad, a biology of ageing researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Austad is so sure that life expectancy is poised for another rapid rise, he put money down in 2000 that the first person to reach 150 was already alive.
It’s a fantastical idea, counters Jay Olshansky, a longevity researcher at the University of Illinois Chicago, who took Austad’s bet and foresees a payout for his descendants in 2150.
Other scientists believe extending lifespan might be difficult but are pursuing therapies that aim to make us feel younger for longer.
