We’ve long been drawn to immortality, or at least a version of it. In the 16th century, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León allegedly searched for the Fountain of Youth. Even further back, in Greek mythology, ambrosia granted eternal life. We’re still searching for ways to hit the biological pause button, but today’s scientists have a more practical approach: They hope to stall aging to prevent the diseases that so often come with it. If they succeed, we’ll not only live longer, we will also be healthier and more youthful. Here’s what we know now that Ponce de León didn’t.
These articles were originally published in the March/April 2016 issue of Popular Science.