Imagine if aging were a disease like measles, one that could be cured. Some scientists think it’s possible and that we’ll eventually halt – or at least slow – the march of time and extend lifespans into the triple digits and beyond. 100 could become the new 40, and 1000 the new 500! But that’s a lot of years of filling out tax forms and showing up for dental hygiene appointments. Do we really want to live that long? If so, we should tap into the secret of longevity from Ming, a 400-year-old clam.

Also, the surprising story of how aviator Charles Lindbergh helped develop a medical device that prolonged lives – all in support of the Nazi cause.

Guests:

  • Aubrey de Grey – Biogerontologist and author of Ending Aging: The Rejuvenation Breakthroughs That Could Reverse Human Aging in Our Lifetime
  • Michael Rose – Ecologist and Evolutionary Biologist at the University of California – Irvine
  • David M. Friedman – author of The Immortalists: Charles Lindbergh, Dr. Alexis Carrel and Their Daring Quest to Live Forever
  • Al Wanamaker – Researcher at Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences
  • Chris Richardson – Biologist at Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences

Podcast also available on PocketCasts, SoundCloud, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and RSS.

2026 Webby Award Nominee
for our three part series on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

Big Picture Science is an immersive radio show and podcast that reveals the unexpected connections in science.

Our Skeptic Check episodes take a critical look at extraordinary science claims and pseudoscience.

Don’t settle for a science snapshot. Get the big picture. 

Hosted By

Molly Bentley Executive Producer and Co-Host, Big Picture Science  

Seth Shostak Producer and Co-Host, Big Picture Science
Senior Astronomer, SETI Institute

Latest episodes