Humanity is living longer, but not necessarily better. Average lifespans in wealthy countries have increased dramatically over the last century. Nevertheless, the final decades of many lives are marked by chronic disease, cognitive decline, and dependency. A growing field of longevity research aims to change this - not by simply adding years, but by compressing the period of decline into as short a window as possible. This is called compression of morbidity. Crucially, the question is not just scientific but political. If longevity therapies exist but are only accessible to the wealthy, the result is not progress - it is biological stratification. Paradoxically, the ability to live to 120 in good health could deepen inequality rather than resolve it.

💡 Did you know? Jeanne Calment of France lived to 122 years and 164 days - the longest verified human lifespan. She rode a bicycle until she was 100.