We doubled human lifespans in the last 200 years. Can we do it again? | Andrew Steele
In the thought-provoking video “We doubled human lifespans in the last 200 years. Can we do it again?” Dr. Andrew Steele explores the transformative potential of longevity science. Rather than focusing on superficial measures to prolong life—like extreme diets or excessive supplements—Steele emphasizes the importance of improving our health span, the period of life spent free from diseases. He highlights that advancements in medicine have already doubled our life expectancy, and further slowing down the aging process could yield immense economic benefits, potentially saving $38 trillion.
Steele, a longevity scientist and author of “Ageless: The New Science of Getting Older Without Getting Old,” presents the stark reality of aging: our risk of death increases exponentially as we age. He introduces intriguing concepts like biological age versus chronological age and discusses groundbreaking techniques such as senolytic drugs and cellular reprogramming that may unlock the secret to healthier aging.
Amidst these exciting developments, Steele addresses the ethical questions surrounding longevity, arguing that advancements in this field should be viewed as an extension of modern medicine. As we stand on the brink of what could be a revolution in healthcare, Steele invites viewers to reconsider our understanding of aging and its implications on society.
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Author Video Description
“Over the last 10 or 15 years, scientists have really started to understand the fundamental underlying biology of the aging process. And they broke this down into 12 hallmarks of aging.”
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We track age by the number of birthdays we’ve had, but scientists are arguing that our cells tell a different, more truthful story. Our biological age reveals how our bodies are actually aging, from our muscle strength to the condition of our DNA.
The gap between these two numbers may hold the key to treating aging – which could help save 100,000 lives per day and win us $38 trillion dollars.
00:00 Rethinking longevity
01:27 Understanding aging
02:58 Biological age and epigenetics
04:29 New frontiers in longevity science
08:04 Future possibilities and ethical questions
10:24 The moral debate around living longer
Read the video transcript ► https://bigthink.com/series/the-big-think-interview/aging-science-steele/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
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About Andrew Steele:
Dr. Andrew Steele is a scientist, writer and campaigner based in Berlin, author of Ageless: The new science of getting older without getting old, and Director and Co-Founder of The Longevity Initiative.
About Big Think
Big Think is the leading source of expert-driven, actionable, educational content — with thousands of videos, featuring experts ranging from Bill Clinton to Bill Nye, we help you get smarter, faster. Get actionable lessons from the world’s greatest thinkers & doers. Our experts are either disrupting or leading their respective fields.
Video “We doubled human lifespans in the last 200 years. Can we do it again? | Andrew Steele” was uploaded on 11/03/2025 to Youtube Channel Big Think