logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2025
27m 1s

Have we already found the fountain of yo...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

For centuries, people have pursued the dream of eternal youth. It might seem like the stuff of myth or science fiction, but researchers have been making fascinating progress in understanding what happens in our bodies as we age. There’s optimism that we might soon be able to use drugs to slow down or even reverse how we age, extending the number of years we live healthy, productive lives. What’s more, some of us might be taking these drugs already.

On today’s episode, Lucy Hockings speaks to Dr Andrew Steele, author of ‘Ageless: The new science of getting older without getting old’ to find out whether we might drink from the fountain of youth in our lifetime.

The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

Producers: Richard Moran and Tom Kavanagh

Sound engineer: Annie Smith

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: China Collins

Up next
Yesterday
Was the air strike on an Iranian school a war crime?
WARNING: This episode contains some graphic descriptions of violence. Since an air strike on a school in Iran two weeks ago, the Pentagon has faced mounting questions over the possible involvement of the US military. Iranian officials say the strike killed 168 people, including a ... Show More
28m 13s
Mar 14
Jeremy Bowen: Trump has called for an Iran uprising. The lessons from Iraq in 1991 loom large
In this special essay, the BBC’s international editor Jeremy Bowen explains what can happen when an American president calls for an uprising – and then doesn’t get involved when it starts.A version of this piece first ran on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on 11 March.Producer for ... Show More
14m 54s
Mar 13
How the Oscars went international
On Sunday, many of the film industry’s biggest stars will gather in Los Angeles for Hollywood’s biggest night: the 98th annual Academy Awards.Looming over the celebrations are some major upheavals in Hollywood: big corporate mergers, the incursion of AI, and mass layoffs. And it’ ... Show More
26m 48s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2024
Molecular Biologist's Quest: Can We STOP the Aging Clock? | Dr. David Sinclair EP 687
tail spinning
7m 16s
May 2025
Introducing: The Future of Aging
Human beings are living longer than ever. Thanks to advances like vaccines, antibiotics, pasteurized milk and clean water, we’ve added more than 30 years to the average lifespan over the last 120 years. That’s more than was added in the previous 10,000 years combined. More recent ... Show More
2m 50s
Sep 2025
Is curiosity the key to ageing well?
Psychologists have traditionally believed we become less curious as we age, but recent research has shown that curiosity actually becomes more targeted and specific in our later years. To find out why this happens, and how maintaining broad curiosity into older age can help keep ... Show More
16m 6s
Oct 2024
Is Radical Human Life Extension Possible?
In 1900, the average US life expectancy was 47 years old. That's the current age of Tom Brady, Ryan Reynolds, and Shakira. But extraordinary advances in medicine and public health have surged lifespans in the US and throughout the world. The average American currently lives to ab ... Show More
53m 46s
Feb 2024
My Year of Prolonged Suffering and Decrepitude
<p>The girlies confront one of humanity's oldest anxieties — our fear of aging. From Cleopatra's donkey milk baths to ten-year-old girls putting Drunk Elephant eye creams on their Christmas lists, they explore how women have always been encouraged to prolong youth at their own ex ... Show More
1h 21m
Oct 2024
Longevity Supplements - 100th Episode
Can taking special supplements help us to live longer? It's the 100th episode of Sliced Bread and to mark the occasion we're investigating the pills and supplements that claim to help us live longer - and more healthy - lives. Listener Soly has heard about so-called 'biohackers' ... Show More
33m 3s
Jun 2025
What ‘Immortal’ Jellyfish and Famously Old Tortoises Tell Us about Aging
Animals’ lifespans can be far shorter or much longer than those of humans. Scientists are researching creatures such as “immortal” jellyfish and long-lived tortoises and digging deep into genetic codes to figure out why animals age—and what we can do to improve longevity in human ... Show More
14m 27s
Jun 2025
What ‘Immortal’ Jellyfish and Famously Old Tortoises Tell Us about Aging
Animals’ lifespans can be far shorter or much longer than those of humans. Scientists are researching creatures such as “immortal” jellyfish and long-lived tortoises and digging deep into genetic codes to figure out why animals age—and what we can do to improve longevity in human ... Show More
14m 27s