For centuries, the world’s most powerful figures have tried to cheat death. Humanity’s first great story, The Epic of Gilgamesh, tells of a king’s desperate attempt to outwit mortality. China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, obsessed over living forever, financed expeditions for a mythical “Elixir of Life,” only to die at 49 from mercury poisoning.
Fast forward a few thousand years, and the hunt for immortality remains just as feverish. But instead of kings and emperors, today’s seekers are billionaires and biotech firms, replacing spells and potions with labs and artificial intelligence.
If the nearly 6,000 longevity studies published last year on PubMed are any indication, we’re trying harder than ever — or getting closer than ever. Tech moguls like Jeff Bezos and Peter Thiel are pouring millions into longevity research, while companies like Google are racing to rejuvenate human cells.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
It’s more than just personal obsession. There’s big money at stake. Research suggests slowing aging by one year could add $38 trillion in economic value, while a 10-year life extension could be worth $367 trillion.
From obesity drugs like Ozempic that lower heart disease risk to cellular aging breakthroughs, longevity research is making real strides. Optimism is high among scientists and those already making plans for their 250th birthday party.
As Dr. Luigi Ferrucci, scientific director at the National Institute on Aging, puts it: “This science is extremely promising.”
However, if you want to live forever, there’s more to consider than finally having time to read the classics. A major leap in aging science will change everything, from how we live to how we plan financially for a future that might last far longer than we can now imagine.
Because at the end of the day, what’s the point of living forever if you can’t afford it?
The latest immortality science: how close are we?
Life expectancy has increased by over 300% since the late 1800s, but some researchers believe we’re just getting started.
Biotech firm Medtronic suggests that, in theory, a disease-free human body could reach 150 years. Among other things, the company is developing AI-driven tools to detect early signs of disease and predict progression before symptoms appear.
To underscore its faith in the possibilities, Medtronic has partnered with Adam Savage, former co-host of MythBusters, as its science communicator.
“Whether or not we're close to that possibility isn’t as important as asking the question,” he says. “It’s in asking impossible questions that we’re able to see what might be feasible now.”
Some researchers believe the first 150-year-old human has already been born. Harvard geneticist David Sinclair and others are exploring ways to reset the epigenome, the molecular switches that turn genes on and off. Early experiments suggest this process can reverse aging in lab mice, raising hopes that similar techniques may help humans combat age-related diseases.
Dr. Ferrucci says one of the biggest breakthroughs in longevity science has been recognizing that aging itself is the root cause of most chronic diseases. Scientists have since developed biological clocks that measure aging through DNA markers and cellular wear, leading to experimental anti-aging treatments like senolytics, which help clear out old, dysfunctional cells. Another promising drug, rapamycin, appears to slow aging in animals, but its immune-suppressing effects make it controversial for humans.
Yet, a key issue remains: extending lifespan is meaningless if it doesn’t provide better health. That’s why Dr. Ferrucci calls longevity a “false objective.”
Savage, who interviewed everyday people about living past 100, found most had the same priority: “They wanted to live longer, but not without a commensurate quality of life.”
Enter Bryan Johnson, a tech entrepreneur who claims his biological age is 18 despite being 46. He spends over $2 million per year on experimental treatments, including 100+ pills a day and cutting-edge biohacking techniques. One of his most extreme methods? Blood plasma exchanges from younger donors, which some believe can rejuvenate aging cells.
For the rest of us, spending millions to reverse aging isn’t an option. But that doesn’t mean we’re powerless.
What you can do today to live longer
Modern research confirms what we’ve known for decades – basic healthy habits work.
A 2023 study of 276,000 U.S. veterans found that adopting eight key habits — including a healthy diet, exercise, quality sleep, and avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol — could add up to 24 years to a person’s life.
Dr. Ferrucci calls these classic preventive measures “a magic pill.” Ignoring them, he notes, shortens life expectancy, a fact backed by decades of research.
However, some point to supercentenarians (those who live past 100) who claim to have survived on things like whiskey and bacon, fueling the argument that longevity is all about getting lucky in the genetics lottery.
It’s true that genetics play a role, but studies suggest lifestyle choices determine 70-80% of lifespan.
Beyond diet and exercise, new longevity strategies are gaining traction. Cold therapy, including cryotherapy and cold plunges, has been linked to reduced inflammation and the activation of longevity-related proteins.
On the warmer end of the spectrum, a long-term Finnish study found that regular sauna use was associated with a 40% lower mortality rate from cardiovascular disease.
Another promising approach is intermittent fasting and caloric restriction, which triggers autophagy, the body's natural process of clearing damaged cells. This could potentially slow aging and reduce disease risk. However, researchers recommend that those with eating disorders, diabetes or other conditions avoid intermittent fasting, as well as people over 65.
While we may not all reach 150, we have more control over aging than we once thought — and you don’t need a billionaire’s budget to take advantage of what actually works.
What is probably more hype than science
Scroll through social media, and you’ll see celebrities bathed in glowing lights, claiming they’ve hacked aging. But are these high-tech treatments scientific breakthroughs — or just the latest gimmicks?
History is littered with anti-aging fads. In the early 1900s, radium water was marketed as an “energy booster” until people realized radiation poisoning is, in fact, deadly.
Today’s version of longevity snake oil includes treatments with some medical applications but little evidence of life extension.
For instance, hyperbaric oxygen therapy was designed to treat decompression sickness, but claims that it reverses cellular aging remain inconclusive. Similarly, infrared and red light therapy may stimulate mitochondria and reduce inflammation, but its anti-aging benefits remain unproven.
Then there’s cryogenics, where people pay to freeze themselves in hopes of future revival. The issue? There’s no proof it will ever work. Current freezing methods damage brain cells, and even if revival were possible, would your consciousness even survive?
And then, of course, there’s a practical question: If you were revived many years later, what would you do? Would your money still exist?
Imagine spending centuries frozen, only to wake up and have to start working at Starbucks just to make rent.
How do you financially plan for 'immortality'?
Living longer isn’t just a scientific challenge — it’s a financial one.
Cutting-edge longevity clinics cater almost exclusively to the ultra-wealthy. For example, Human Longevity Inc. charges tens of thousands per year for personalized anti-aging protocols. Stem cell injections and gene editing can cost over $50,000 per session, often with uncertain results.
Yet, some people may chase expensive, unproven methods, possibly wasting both money and time.
It’s why financial advisor Loren Sherman, founder of Integrity Wealth Management, encourages clients to focus on what’s actually within their control. “When it comes to health, I try to direct the conversation to the root causes rather than expensive treatments.”
The greater issue, however, may be funding a long retirement.
“Many retirees are living longer, but not necessarily healthier lives. This can lead to expensive healthcare costs, especially assisted living and long-term care,” Sherman warns.
It’s become a national policy challenge. With debates over Social Security and Medicare solvency, future retirees may not be able to rely on government programs for support. Dr. Ferrucci argues that raising the retirement age isn’t a simple fix: “We can't really change the age of retirement unless we expand the health of people.”
Health issues are the number one reason most workers retire earlier than planned, making financial preparedness even more critical.
A recent report warns that if life expectancy increases significantly, retirees could face 50-year retirements. It claims that, at just 2% inflation, even a conservative portfolio generating 4-5% net returns could run out of money 10 to 20 years too soon.
To manage longevity risk — the risk of outliving one’s savings — financial planners like Sherman recommend strategies such as delaying Social Security, maximizing HSAs, creating lifetime income streams and considering insurance protections.
Of course, this assumes the average retirement age stays the same. A longer lifespan would likely shift expectations, and people might simply work longer.
Interestingly, research suggests that meaningful work correlates with longer, healthier lives as it provides purpose. It’s why many older adults choose to work or volunteer, not primarily for financial reasons but for fulfillment.
Savage recalls his grandmother, who lived to 105, got restless when she wasn’t busy. He hopes he inherited her longevity, but he already shares her mindset, saying, “There will always be a workbench in front of me as long as I’m able to use it.”
What does immortality really mean anyway?
The secret to living forever may ultimately come down to one’s definition of immortality.
In the race to extend life, we may be searching in the wrong places. Living longer may not actually be about you.
Dr. Ferrucci highlights one of the biggest, yet often overlooked, factors in aging is stress — often caused by social isolation. He says, “One thing people don’t think about is stress avoidance. People exposed to mistreatment or social stress tend to age faster. As a source of stress, it’s becoming clear that loneliness is one of the most significant factors in accelerated aging.”
While longevity science focuses on biological and medical interventions, research consistently finds one of the strongest predictors of both lifespan and healthspan is social connection.
Good relationships don’t just help people live longer. They make those years worth living. And even after we’re gone, the impact we have on others continues.
So, the real secret to immortality might not be in gene editing, AI or miracle drugs. It may be something much closer, beating inside our chests, day after day, minute after minute.
Perhaps our legacy, not our longevity, is what truly matters. Maybe immortality isn’t defined by the number of years we live, but by the impact we make in the limited time we have, whether it’s just a few years outside the womb or a few centuries.
As Carl Sagan poignantly put it: “To live in the hearts we leave behind is to live forever.”
Read More
-
How This Writer Made Their First $1 MillionA 59-year-old writer living in New England explains how they made $1 million as part of Kiplinger's My First $1 Million series.
-
How to Thrive in Retirement: Balancing the TradeoffsTo cultivate a happy retirement, you need to tend to it as carefully as you would a flourishing garden, and that means making the right choices for you.
-
My First $1 Million: Writer, 59, New EnglandA 59-year-old writer living in New England explains how they made $1 million as part of Kiplinger's My First $1 Million series.
-
How to Thrive in Retirement: Balancing the TradeoffsTo cultivate a happy retirement, you need to tend to it as carefully as you would a flourishing garden, and that means making the right choices for you.
-
Kick the IRS to the Curb in RetirementThat 401(k) or traditional IRA you've filled with your hard-earned money could turn into a tax bomb. Before it blows, see if a Roth could help rescue you.
-
How to Stop Scammers Targeting Your Retirement SavingsAnyone can fall victim to a financial scam, but retirees can be more vulnerable than most, so stay alert to these common tricks that could catch you off guard.
-
Annuity Fees: Are You Paying Too Much?Annuity fees include commissions, administrative costs, expense ratios and more. How much is too much and how do you know if you're overpaying?
-
Choosing a Trustee? These Six Tips Can Help You Pick WiselyHow can you be sure a trust will be managed properly, without causing a headache for the beneficiaries? The key is choosing the right trustee (and a backup).
-
Is Your Cryptocurrency Safe? How to Shield Digital AssetsCreditors, hackers and frivolous lawsuit filers could be coming for your cryptocurrencies. These estate planning and asset protection strategies could help.
-
How Savvy Is Your Financial Adviser? Three Ways to Find OutDon't be afraid to ask your adviser if they're keeping up with industry developments and their own training. How else can you know they're giving good advice?
