Will Biotechnology Stop Aging?

Could biotechnology stop aging? The answer may be yes, no, or something in between, depending on who is being asked and what it means to “stop” aging. For those at one end of the spectrum— life extension seekers (including some deep-pocketed Silicon Valley investors)—the answer is “yes.” They believe biotechnology will lengthen human life spans to range anywhere from 1,000 years to forever. But for most, the answer is more nuanced and in- volves a dream of extended healthspan , rather than immortality. They imagine a future in which people over the age of 65 years are healthy, active, independent, and not burdened by disease, and that this is the norm rather than the exception. “Healthspanners” believe that one day, science will delay the onset of aging-related conditions and, as a side-effect, modestly extend life. Aging as we know it—and dread it—could become ancient history.