The Immortalists

What does it mean for us all when death is treated as a glitch and Silicon Valley invests in the “science” of eternal life? 'A fascinating, deeply reported adventure' Oliver Burkeman 'Riveting' Daily Mail 'Utterly compelling' New Statesman 'Brilliantly troubling ... eye-opening, entertaining' New Scientist From the epic of Gilgamesh to the alchemy of the philosopher’s stone, humanity’s eternal quest for immortality – and its rejuvenation tricks, therapies and tinctures – has always been our most mortal endeavour. But now the giants of invention and investment are building a fountain of youth of their own creation: one they not only engineer, but also own and control. Death is simply their next problem to solve, an expression of a hubris that regards humans as appliances to be fixed and machines to be upgraded. By harnessing technology to ‘cure’ ageing, and funding cutting-edge – and often controversial – research, today’s immortalists are locked in an arms race to pocket the profits