logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2022
49m 44s

Steven Johnson: Why We're Living Longer

NPR
About this episode
In the last century, human life expectancy has doubled. This hour, we talk with writer Steven Johnson on the many breakthroughs that made this possible — and where we go from here.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Yesterday
Searching for paradise
We often view paradise as a place of safety, beauty, tranquility. It’s an ideal we long for but one we can rarely find. This hour, TED speakers search for utopia and come to terms with reality.Original broadcast date: November 10, 2023TED Radio Hour+ listeners now get access to b ... Show More
50m 6s
Jul 10
Tracking what your body needs
Our bodies are always sending signals ... but are we listening? This hour, TED speakers explore new ways to track and understand our health — from cutting-edge technology to simple, everyday habits.Guests include exercise physiologist Keith Diaz, genomicist Michael Snyder and wri ... Show More
50 m
Jul 3
The state of fashion
Whether you love fashion or hate it, we all have to get dressed in the morning, and the industry affects us in complex ways. This hour, the outrageous, environmental and seedy sides of fashion.Guests include designer Machine Dazzle, supply chain expert Aparna Mehta, journalist Am ... Show More
50m 5s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2021
How humanity doubled life expectancy in a century | Steven Johnson
Doubling human life expectancy in a century is our greatest achievement, says author Steven Johnson. How did we make it happen -- and can we keep it going? Backed by fascinating historical anecdotes, he shares some life-lengthening innovations and reminds us of three key things n ... Show More
12m 6s
Dec 2021
How humanity doubled life expectancy in a century | Steven Johnson
Doubling human life expectancy in a century is our greatest achievement, says author Steven Johnson. How did we make it happen -- and can we keep it going? Backed by fascinating historical anecdotes, he shares some life-lengthening innovations and reminds us of three key things n ... Show More
11m 38s
Sep 2021
EXTRA LIFE: We Doubled Life Expectancy in the Last Century. Can We Do It Again?
Over the past century, the average human lifespan has doubled. That astonishing statistic is the subject of a new book and PBS series by acclaimed science writer Steven Johnson called “Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer.” In this episode, he tells Rufus about the renega ... Show More
1h 11m
Jun 2021
The doubling of life-expectancy
Steven Johnson, author of Extra Life, tells the fascinating history of life expectancy, and the extraordinary achievements of the last century, in which it has practically doubled.It’s a story that has data at its heart, from the ground-breaking invention of the category itself i ... Show More
8m 58s
Aug 2025
Living Longer, Aging Smarter [Sponsored]
Life expectancy has risen dramatically since 1900, reshaping how we understand aging. Scientists now view skin not just as a surface indicator, but as a biological marker of systemic health. In this podcast episode, Scientific American Custom Media explores how longevity science ... Show More
8m 32s
Aug 2025
Living Longer, Aging Smarter [Sponsored]
Life expectancy has risen dramatically since 1900, reshaping how we understand aging. Scientists now view skin not just as a surface indicator, but as a biological marker of systemic health. In this podcast episode, Scientific American Custom Media explores how longevity science ... Show More
8m 32s
Sep 2025
Can We Live Forever?
Professor Brian Cox and our expert panel explore ageing, longevity and the science behind our lifespans. Human life expectancy has increased steadily over the last 200 years, but we may be reaching a ceiling. Is this our biological limit, or could the next big scientific breakthr ... Show More
44m 46s
Sep 2022
Longevity, Immortality and the quest to defeat death with Aubrey De Grey
How do you eat an elephant? One spoon at a time, right? Well It's the same with living forever. No one is going to find a magic potion that will make you 20 again but over the years we are slowly, consistently and incrementally improving patient health and preventing diseases ass ... Show More
39m 59s
Apr 2023
Medicine 3.0: Extending Human Lifespan with Dr. Peter Attia
<p>What’s the maximum human lifespan? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly explore how to extend your longevity, the history of medicine, and how we can live better with author of <i>Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity</i>, Dr. Peter Attia.</p><p>NOTE ... Show More
57m 33s