Every year on July 11, the world observes World Population Day, designated by the United Nations to raise awareness about global population issues. It serves as a reminder of the significant challenges and opportunities presented by the ever-increasing number of people on our planet.

Longevity, or the length and quality of human life, has become a subject of great interest and importance in recent years. Advances in healthcare, improved living conditions and technological innovations have contributed to a remarkable increase in life expectancy worldwide. However, as the global population continues to rise, what is the future of ageing and longevity.

The average lifespan has been shorter in the past because of the risk of dying at birth, in childhood, in the middle of a raging battle or being mauled to death by wild animals. However, taking out those threats, an average human has long been capable of reaching a 70th birthday.

And now, with breakthroughs in our understanding of genetics and billions of dollars being poured into life sciences research, we may find ways to extend our lives even further, maybe to even double that number, in the next few decades.

This episode of Beyond The Headlines was previously aired on June 23, 2022.