scripod.com

Can We Reverse Aging?

The Daily

May 17
The Daily

The Daily

May 17

Shownote

The quest for a “cure” for aging — a way to remain youthful, even as we get older — is a project as old as humanity. It’s also a big business; products, therapies and treatments intended to moderate or reverse aging are part of a $2 trillion global wellness market that’s only getting bigger. But there have been some recent breakthroughs in the science of longevity that could be pivotal for the field. These discoveries have to do with cellular rejuvenation, which is the idea that scientists could take a cell that has aged, and make it function like a younger version of itself. On this episode of “The Sunday Daily,” the host Rachel Abrams talks with Susan Dominus, a staff writer at The New York Times Magazine, about this new research, the scientists behind it and who is funding this scientific quest for longer lives. On Today’s Episode: Susan Dominus [https://www.nytimes.com/by/susan-dominus] is a staff writer at The New York Times Magazine. Background Reading: Longevity Science Is Overhyped. But This Research Really Could Change Humanity [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/27/magazine/cell-rejuventation-biotech-longevity-research-altos-labs.html]. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://nytimes.com/podcasts] or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher [https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher]. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Highlights

The dream of reversing aging is moving from science fiction to serious scientific inquiry, driven by breakthroughs in cellular rejuvenation. This podcast explores the cutting-edge research that aims to make old cells young again, the brilliant and sometimes controversial scientists behind it, and the billionaires betting big on extending the human healthspan.
00:00
Scientists research reversing aging by making aged cells function like younger ones
06:56
Yamanaka factors rejuvenated cells without causing tumors
10:07
Cellular rejuvenation restored vision in blind mice without cancer.
13:17
Billionaires are heavily funding longevity science
28:25
Social engagement can reverse aging.

Chapters

The Quest to Make Old Cells Young Again: An Introduction to Cellular Rejuvenation
00:00
From Nobel Prize to Cancer Risk: The Early, Dangerous Promise of Yamanaka Factors
03:31
Restoring Sight in Blind Mice: David Sinclair's Controversial Breakthrough
10:07
Billionaires and the Altos Labs Quest: Can Money Buy a Longer, Healthier Life?
13:17
Managing Expectations: Real Treatments for Disease vs. The Dream of Immortality
22:34

Transcript

Speaker 1: Your gut isn't just about digestion, it's the command center of your whole body. New OLLY Precision Probiotics are made with clinically studied strains to provide targeted benefits beyond digestive health. By supporting your metabolism, skin hea...