Nobel laureate alarmed by over-hyped longevity research | Venki Ramakrishnan

Could we one day cheat death? Are we hurtling towards a time when science will be so advanced that aging can be prevented or halted in its tracks?
Nobel laureate Venki Ramakrishnan takes a skeptical view in a fascinating exploration of longevity research. In Why We Die: The New Science of Aging and the Quest for Immortality, the acclaimed scientist delves into the complexities of aging and the pursuit of extending healthy lifespan.
A former president of the Royal Society in London, Ramakrishnan is a group leader at the Medical Research Council's Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England. He shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2009 for his work uncovering the structure and function of tiny cellular particles called ribosomes and was knighted in 2012.
In this interview with Peter Bowes, the molecular biologist provides a critical perspective on the dilemmas of aging research; questions the hype and financial interests linked to some aspects of longevity science; delves into the concept of compressed morbidity and its challenges, and explains his belief that dramatic life extension is not imminent.
00:00 Intro
02:00 Career Journey: Ramakrishnan shares his career trajectory, beginning with physics and transitioning to molecular biology, focusing on the ribosome’s structure and function.
06:34 Shift to Aging: He talks about his interest in aging, which grew from his ribosome work, and his concerns about the hype and financial interests surrounding aging research.
11:43 Personal Interest in Aging: Ramakrishnan explains that personal concerns about aging partially motivated his book, aiming to demystify aging research for the general public.
14:57 Analyzing Death: He discusses why defining death is crucial to understanding aging. The ambiguity in defining the exact point of death leads to a range of ethical and social questions.
17:51 Compressed Morbidity: Ramakrishnan explains compressed morbidity, the idea of staying healthy throughout life and experiencing ailments only shortly before death. He expresses skepticism that science has yet found a way to achieve this balance.
24:11 Studying Centenarians: He discusses supercentenarians, who appear to have achieved a compressed morbidity, suggesting research into their genetics and lifestyle could provide insights into healthy aging.
27:00 Caloric Restriction: Its scientific backing compared to the more accessible concept of moderation in diet.
33:39 Evolution and Aging: Ramakrishnan explains why evolution has not resulted in humans who live longer, citing the balance between lifespan and reproductive success across species.
37:00 Views on Extreme Longevity: He shares his opinion on the prospects of dramatic life extension, siding with those who believe our current lifespan is relatively fixed without future breakthroughs.
40:02 Impact of Longevity Research: The potential benefits of longevity research are not necessarily in extending life dramatically but in alleviating the disabilities associated with old age.
48:10 Personal Takeaways and Retirement: Ramakrishnan reflects on the age-old advice for a healthy life-moderation, exercise, sleep-and his personal plans for retirement, advocating for passing resources to younger scientists.
Photo credit: Kate Joyce and Sante Fe Institute
Read: Why We Die: The New Science of Aging and the Quest for Immortality
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Discounts & Affiliation disclosure: This podcast is supported by sponsorship and affiliate arrangements with a select number of companies. The income helps to cover production costs and ensures that our interviews, sharing information about human longevity, remain free for all to listen.
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[@ajmnv]

“Moderation”. A term my father, who passed away one month shy of 100, often repeated. He lived his life in quite an ordinary and quite way but his lifestyle and habits surely helped him. No diabetes, cancer or heart disease. BMI normal, physically active around the yard and fixing everything into his 90s. Good social life with Mom also in her 90s and 5 children and many grandchildren. All in moderation, alcohol, food, etc. traveled with mom often, we’re active in church etc. in his 90s had a car accident and walked out the emergency room with cuts and bruises. Thereafter gave us the car keys. “I don’t want to drive again. I’m not safe anymore”. Smart decision. Moderation and being mindful of limits and opportunities for making good choices is important.

[@scottpreston5074]

My dad also believed in moderation in all things and also lived past 100. It always made sense to me.

[@jmc8076]

Many in multi $billon (prob trillion) health industries have made just living harder then needed. Human body is extremely intelligent beyond any computer. We don’t need to be hacked, programmed or fixed. Even moderation in moderation for some like Italians who live beyond 100. Many factors play a role. Commonsense and bal of good objective science going back centuries now. Maybe go back to go fwd and simplify?

[@betzib8021]

Sounds like having lots of loving kids is key also.

[@NCRonrad]

Giving his keys let’s me know he was a saint (of moderation). Beautiful parent

[@Mtmonaghan]

He had a great deal of luck too.

[@tomjohnson4681]

It's not about living longer "longevity" , it's about living a healthy life without diseases, most people these days die early from disease because of the way they live their lives and what they consume.

[@Kjuken69]

Bullshit, not more then mabye 5% has to with what you consume, i mean if you drink 1 liter vodka and smoke 40 cigarets a day, with the right genes you could get quite old acetly! With bad genes and the most healty lifestile possible(it's no recipie for this) you will die young,that's to bad but that's the truth. The bodys abilety to heal and counter when attacked, that's the key. Consuming the so called right food can't do anything about this! Zero

[@JackAtkins-xz5wi]

Porterhouse cures every disease

[@christopherellis2663]

​@@JackAtkins-xz5wi Sirloin, here 🥩

[@ernestwhite2505]

Oh yeah!

[@markbura7172]

❤❤

[@valentinorossi9300]

These days we don't live longer ... We die longer ...🙃

[@sumanmahajan6787]

True .. we did longer .. we don’t get to live productively

[@madmartigan8119]

Very true, I work in an end of life care facility and the line where if it's worth it to the individual vs the family gets blurred. We spend a lot of resources and energy to keep people alive a couple more years or months and it's usually not a quality of life anyone would want.

[@viveviveka2651]

Someone who isn't hyping anything -how refreshing.

[@terjeoseberg990]

There’s money in hype.

[@pauljones5066]

plus science rather than pseudo science!

[@anotherviewofthings]

However, he did not say anything relevant, even not what supplements (if any) he uses. What about NAC, creatine, resistance training, vitamin d, to name just few attractive anti-aging themes. Sleep, yes, only relevant info in 60 minutes was that sleep is good. I wonder who would buy a book for that advice.

[@pauljones5066]

there is no magic formula@@anotherviewofthings

[@ggrthemostgodless8713]

@@anotherviewofthings Exactly!! Who doesn't know by now that GOOD sleep is good for a whole lot of very important things!! Also some people say "resistance exercise" but that can mean a whole lot of things to different doctors and people. Most doctors I have to see are fat and unhealthy; so how can they understand me when I tell them I NEED to lift weights. But even then, "lifting weights" means a lot of things, you got the vanity school of body builders, and then you got the HIT people, then you got the 5X5 strength training people, and then you got the partial rep people, so no one should be listened to when they just say "resistance training" specially docs and teachers... I go for FULL range of multi joint exercises. then add a FEWWWWW auxiliary exercises trying to make them "functional" single UNILATERAL exercises, just in case there is an imbalance in strength or ability on one side of the extremities.

[@Miroslaw-rs8ip]

My father lived to 93 years of age and would have hit 100 years if it wasn’t for our health care system in Canada abandoning the elderly during the pandemic. But my father was very health conscious and ate sardines, walnuts and flaxseeds regularly, he also walked regularly and worked physically in his garden till he was 90 years old. My mother on the other hand wasn’t as happy conscience and wasn’t as healthy unfortunately.

[@christopherellis2663]

Walnuts and flaxseed? Toxic !

[@bhut1571]

@@christopherellis2663Maybe not if you can make 90.

[@chriscarpunky]

How are they toxic? I eat those everyday and 54 don’t have any health issues or take any medications.

[@peterkaufmann8579]

Spermidine!

[@neil1960]

Genetics, Zest for Life, Being Involved, Gardening, Long Walks, Cooking, Healthy Living, Caloric Restriction - probably are the keys...,

[@k14michael]

It boiled down to being more active!

[@dare-er7sw]

Genetics!

[@k14michael]

@@dare-er7sw Yes, but you have to turn those good genes on. It’s called epigenetics.

[@Ardentic-aa]

Sure. Long walks lol. You forgot, Bullocks, fresh air, buddhole tanning, and yoga.

[@k14michael]

@@Ardentic-aa And also touching the earth with your bare feet to get negative electrons.

[@incastinc]

Death is certain for all living beings. My grandfather knows mother tongue, Hindi and Sanskrit. He lived to be 102. 1. Vegetarian 2. Goes to farm two miles away at 4 Am. brings back fresh cow milk. Has coffee. Lunch. coffee. dinner. Reads newspaper home delivered. Sleeps. # 82 pounds, 5' 3" at age 83. Eating habit was to eat less than he wanted. Never went to doctor, (big mistake), died of stroke. He never ate in a restaurant. Never drank or smoked. He knew world politics and voted in elections. Compared to living in California, traffic, work, pay children's education Indian village life is ok.

[@adek2989]

I’d love to hear him debate Dr Peter Attia.

[@bellakrinkle9381]

Why? Each appeal to different lifestyles; both are excellent.

[@user-kc7mu4jp4p]

@@bellakrinkle9381 I agree.

[@squamish4244]

@@bellakrinkle9381They're both grounded, but unlike Peter Attia, he does believe that radical life extension is possible within the lifetimes of people born today. At least, he does in his book. He's more conservative here, which is weird - otherwise, why give an interview? Peter Attia's pretty adamant that this won't happen. That's why it would be an interesting debate. Matt Kaeberlein would be another one who is anti-hype...but is doing testing on dogs right now to see if life extension of large mammals is actually possible. I'd like to see him debate Peter Attia.

[@NCRonrad]

Deadlift battle (spoiler alert, Attia loses by 25 years)

[@emh8861]

He looks fantastic for 71 .

[@babyboltbark]

Acitivity is key to longevity

[@miscibi]

5:25 Ribosome is Central 6:39 Hype 8:40 Categories of Books on Aging 17:33 Compressed Morbidity 21:02 Centenarians

[@sheridixon190]

Thank you.

[@user-kc7mu4jp4p]

@miscibi I happened to have watched this video in full but I am one who has the luxury of time and very often, I find myself looking for someone like you in the comments section, so thank you!! Even after watching the entire video, it still is useful to go over the salient points that you have provided. So, thank you! Do not be put off by the nay-sayers and the PC crowd.

[@m4yue]

The part about retirement and not occupying limited resources are right on!

[@geraldodev]

Venki Ramakrishnan, thank you !

[@brandillysmom]

Longevity runs on both sides of my family, BUT it was granted only to those members that took care of themselves and who managed to live as stress free as possible…. I’d rather live as healthy as possible than as long as possible. I don’t plan to live bedbound.

[@Zhdhcjen]

Funnily, everyone in my family has lived into his 90s. Even my alcoholic, smoking, red meat devouring, obese, diabetic, stressed-out, sedentary grandfather who never wore sunscreen and is in financial ruin has bloodwork of someone 20 years his junior and an LDL that is perfectly fine. So, I feel like I don’t even have to do anything to grow old but still think good diet, meaning, exercise, love and great sex make up for a long and good life

[@katherenewedic8076]

Stress free. A luxury

[@bernadettebecher4689]

Loved this podcast. Thank you for you time and knowledge.

[@susydyson1750]

Excellent interview ! A fascinating explorer of life and the possibilities of aging with style 💪🏻 also enjoy yr voice tone and manner while interviewing

[@jojivarghese3494]

Thanks for the video ❤

[@beerman204]

I really admire people who can move to a new country and learn to speak a new language in such an expert manner

[@darlenes520]

It is puzzling to me that there's little discussion of the earliestyears of these people: that if a person has lived to 100, they did not eat what we call ultra processed foods or fast foods when they were children. They also didn't ride in a car from the day of birth. Most of the studied centenarians also lived in active war zones during 2 world wars! Did they live in an area with out access to food or were they able to get adequate food during war years? A woman likely cooked everything they ate as a child, and she used foods that were close to their original form and available. Income levels also obviously made a difference. But they could NOT have grown up on frozen pizza or sugar-coated cereal. The formative years of anyone who has already made it past 100 are not comparable to anyone born after about 1970 in the USA. Do these early years matter for longevity? What about their parents? Probably impossible to do a reliable study, but acknowledge that this might be important?

[@kebinchen8585]

Few wise men in this world and talk to us now, thank you for the invaluable advice.

[@chriscarpunky]

What is considered normal and too low for caloric restriction. I’m 5 10” and 162 lbs. I eat about 2300 calories a day and never gain weight. I eat 4-5 cups of veggies, 2-3 cups of fruit (berries) and have things like sourdough and almond yogurt. I’m 54 and active but everyone says I’m too skinny. Maybe they’re just heavy? My thyroid is normal. I am vegan as well

[@ldt6513]

Thank you for a very interesting conversation! I enjoyed listening a lot. Venki Ramakrishnan is a refreshingly intelligent and interesting man to listen to. He also bring both contrast and specificity to this enormously huge topic that has been spawned from all sorts of proponents with novel ideas and early data.

[@robertmitchell8630]

For someone with so much awards and honors and accomplisments He so humble

[@larsnystrom6698]

No one dies healthy! Extending healthspan surely makes you not die until that doesn't work anymore. That's my naive take on this issue. So, if we can extend healthspan, it becomes very interesting what we then do die of.

[@ArticBlueFox96]

No one dies of old age, only complications from aging. These multiple, complex, interrelated, and concurrent complications build up until they become too severe and something fails and we lose homeostasis and therefore die. Even if we become biologically immortal we would not be invincible. Eventually, we will be in some accident or incident, though it may take centuries or millenia or longer. We can still die of injury, trauma, disease, infection, starvation, dehydration, suffocation, predation, exhaustion, poison/toxicity, and exposure to the elements (which results in a loss of homeostasis through things like hypothermia or hyperthermia).

[@dharma__3]

@@ArticBlueFox96 Well put and excellent points!

[@jondor654]

Events .

[@zibtihaj3213]

So what is your point.

[@dharma__3]

@@zibtihaj3213 Reading and comprehension are important 😂🤣

[@pauo6192]

I am 100% with him and thank you for the analyzing.

[@garethmorgan3665]

Lovely interview, thank you :-)

[@user-fh7tg3gf5p]

Great scientist and great book. Could there be an edition for India that could cost less. Thank you.

[@ganesankrishnamurthy8658]

Amazing input from an amazing man. ❤❤

[@christopheryellman533]

Thank you VR for clarifying the level of hype in the aging field, the role of money and the fact that scientists themselves are often biased.

[@Redflowers9]

29:27 very interesting, even if very specific nutrients are reduced despite getting a lot of calories this can shut down protein synthesis and trigger the cell recycling pathways. I've been misled by social media to believe that only fasting and caloric restriction are effective for this.

[@georgeg43]

Caloric restriction may or may not extend your lifetime, but it might well make it seem longer. Time flys when having a good time and crawls in discomfort. May you live well in the endless moment...

[@naughtyUphillboy]

Sir you are pleasantly depressing.

[@squamish4244]

Eating less than I want to often makes me feel better, actually.

[@phylroberts8830]

A very interesting talk, thank you. I've ordered the book and am looking forward to learning more.

[@dianaarmstrong8820]

My father-in-law lived just passed his 104th birthday. And he was healthy till the end.

[@hi6911]

⭐️✨⭐️

[@taijistar9052]

Both got my respect

[@rrosho]

Philosophical, Simple & Brilliant. Both were cool and composed and discussing a very complex subject and convey ideas that is practically simple. Interviewer deserves appreciation. As discuused finding solution to specific illness is solution to longivity.

[@nandkapoor5568]

Thanks for insights you have provided in this podcast!!

[@subbukumar4068]

Brilliant discussion

[@markantrobus8782]

From my own experience autoimmune disorders are related to chemicals like weedkiller in foods such as Paraquat and red and yellow food dyes and even lactates - so that I avoid yogurt and supposedly healthy probiotic fermented foods. Age 78 and follow food combining limber and feeling great. Mother died at 103. Also followed food combining and urine therapy.

[@juderickman8275]

Great podcast, interesting critical perspective The book sounds like a great read.

[@sankarandharams4847]

Excellent points are presented in a practical way. To get people run away from their fears and worries and to take the right way to live healthier and happier.

[@alsace61latimer25]

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing great information sirs 🎉🎉🎉🎉.

[@k.h.6991]

The problem with moderation is that it's a meaningless concept. I have a colleague with several heart disease symptoms who defines moderation as eating processed meat only twice a day.

[@christopherellis2663]

74 years old, 95 weeks 🥩 good luck with the carbs and phytotoxins.

[@christopherellis2663]

Define processed meat.

[@saliksayyar9793]

‘Moderation kills ‘ per Dr Caldwell Esselstyn

[@babyboltbark]

😂​@@saliksayyar9793

[@mnayak9348]

Budha said moderation is key , not starvation not over eating. That does not mean include junk food. Enough food to support body instead one meal a day concept , 12 hours no eat also, eat before sun set and mostly plant base , with good sleep and exercise, let go stress. Do thing with mindfulness

[@helicart]

It amazes me that the boffins miss whole segments of disease pressure on humans, that have profound impact on longevity. I have never heard a 'longevity expert' address the role of infectious diseases in catalysing a cascade of pathologies that compromise vital organs (brain, liver, kidneys, gall bladder, spleen, pancreas, GIT, prostate). Longevity experts don't know why and do not address growing frequency of Parkinson's Disease, autism spectrum disorders, allergies, and autoimmune diseases. Of course, it is easy to focus on sleep, nutrition, stress management, and metabolic syndrome as a longevity expert....but it is also intellectually slothful. An enlightened clinician should have insight into the role of infectious disease as a major upstream cause of pa

[@markantrobus8782]

From my own experience autoimmune disorders are related to chemicals dyes and even lactates so that I avoid yogurt and fermented foods

[@moringaottawa]

Yes what about quality of life? I've been asking myself the same thing. Thank you for addressing it.

[@robertmitchell8630]

For so much awards and honors this man is very humble

[@user-uq4wp6ux3b]

Wonderful discussion, earnest and interesting 👏👏

[@Lina126y]

I can’t believe that this researcher has had my exact journey as far as geography around the same time periods. From him going from his native country to Adelaide to Ohio to San Diego… 😮

[@BarryAnderson]

Holistic Chef Barry Anderson subscribed and he did hit your big bell and at age 70 Chef Barry is so much interested in aging gracefully and long.

[@BarryAnderson]

Living long being healthy and having mobility and physical strength well into old age is key and paramount. Sharing this link that I found on KZbin about the subject if I may for you. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGTEfZaFoJx6aKs Yes your speaker mentioning the immune system is key to the whole world of aging. Also, the study of the BlueZones oldest recorded living people holds a lot of clues as well.

[@BarryAnderson]

Many factors are in decline as we age like stomach acid production and Glutathione and Nitric Oxide to name just a few . All the elements that are naturally in decline must be addressed as soon as possible.

[@kirankumarkandunuri1391]

Everything that Professor Venky stated was really wise. Whole foods, leafy greens, meditation, and a stress-free lifestyle all support mitochondrial health, which results in a healthy, long life.

[@the.trollgubbe2642]

Eat healthy and in moderation, sleep well, keep active... Ground breaking......

[@a_bar8579]

Indeed, the Nobel Prize went to whoever deserved it. It is a treasure trove of reliable information

[@toddboothbee1361]

Actually, creativity increases with age because it's a skill that builds upon knowledge and experience. This is proving to be true as fewer of us are dying young. To say that Keats' s creative peak of 26 is misleading for the rest of us if he died of tb at 26. Ignorance (freshness) is more often than not an obstacle to creativity as measured by innovation.

[@ivanalejandro-ct]

wonderful ❤

[@rabbitlemon]

Thank you

[@valboolin3538]

Congratulations 👏

[@allinyouwithbenedettaspada]

You should invite and read Mario Martinez MD about longevity and centenarians.

[@bobmorane4926]

I think it's a lot of generalization to think that centenarians are kind of a special breed that have been healthy most of their lives and can easily ace through old age. My own mother lived until 92 and she was never healthy throughout her life always suffering from joint pains, headaches etc Though not a centenarian, I consider 92 close enuff ...

[@rdallas81]

92 isn't 100. Almost but 92 dollars is not 100.

[@bobmorane4926]

@@rdallas81 I think you missed the point amazingly. I happen to know my mom's history intimately and i would argue that the generalization is warranted because it's very hard to make an accurate history of a centenarian bcos the kids would be quite old themselves and they also might not be fully cooperative in providing reliable data. That's why i call it generalization to assume centenarians are mostly healthy and a special breed.

[@joseenoel8093]

Mine's 85 and same but ate and lived well (🍸🐟), I can't believe she's still going especially she's got heavy dementia!

[@johnhardwicke7285]

Close enough you say? The average woman in the U.S. lives to be 77. Your mom lived 15 years beyond that. He has mentioned women who DOUBLED that ! Even those 8 years short of 100 equal 50% more .

[@bmniac]

​@@joseenoel8093​ I am 84 ; a spartan vegetarian male fairly active glucose hypertension optimal. some supplements but no medication. Living alone with my books music and computer Couple of cups of good filter coffee and leaf tea .Hardly any processed food. Intermittent fasting and insufficient exercise. This is not difficult. Want to be fit until my time comes!

[@RC-dx6vu]

Fair to say that for some people getting enough, good quality sleep it's not a choice. I've been suffering from chronic insomnia for many years, and I would love to find a solution that really work after many failed attempts. Reading the book as mentioned in the video, only added to the stress and frustration.

[@user-dd2dd3fm7f]

@Venki Bought both your Kindle and Audio book, and I'd love a signed hardback. WRT "cryonics", your chapter 11, is a little light on the subject matter and deserves more research. Will you encourage the younger generation to dive deeper into cryopreservation research?

[@Athenaikos]

Statins and metformin are not instruments of staying healthy. They are examples of treating symptoms rather than the disease.

[@robertthompson5501]

Yep. Treat the cause not the symptoms. Goals should be off the Meds not take them for life🙏🏻👹🏊‍♀️🏋🏻

[@kitsky2]

I'm 75 and want to have (be at ) my birthday in 2053! It is positive thinking! (but I have been wrong before!)

[@serinodiaz4140]

Keeping your brain active and having projects give you big reason’s for wanting to stay alive even if we are older we still have the experience and some wisdom.😊

[@whocareswhoami7278]

Pranayama, slow breathing method in Yoga also increases life expectancy and calmness of the mind.

[@coolatma]

9:45 is this about Dr. David Sinclair, just wondering….

[@Dieblauesau]

Great interview, I like that we get a more sober response to ageing than all the optimism. I have to admit I have been influenced by the optimism.

[@alexsassanimd]

It is caloric restriction or more likely protein (AA) restriction?

[@robertthompson5501]

Says Who?🙏🏻👹🏊‍♀️🏋🏻

[@oneforallah]

6:39 WHAT A HONEST MAN TO CALL OUT THE BILLIONAIRES ETC tryna hype this and stay forever, u have my respect Venki Ramakrishnan sir.

[@dlbdlb3919]

yes

[@susymay7831]

Timestamps would help your nice videos.

[@abrambadal8997]

If I had to make an observation is this one , If I had to work seriously on researches about longevity , I would not dwell long years on why & how one dies , but I would be concentrating on those organisms living longer on earth or in the seas ! For instance trees being lively and youthful , living older and healthier than humans are many seccoias live 5000 years or longer and we found organisms living in seas for over 16 000 years , those are to be studied , the secretions of trees and the organism under deep sea waters , why they can keep renewing themselves youthfully ? ? Old philosophers used to say death is not a fatality and we could live for eternety , if we found the right Elixire for it ! Alexandre creating biggest empire in old days , was looking for a special plant ! Tree of Life ( in the bible ? )

[@Iaosj923]

One of most beautiful podcast well articulated and deserving questions asked. Regarding evolutionary role of aging and death lies in same genes which help in procreation. Once gene is passed on to next generation, there is no biological benefit of living longer as individuals are going to compete for limited resources to young offsprings.

[@davidderidder2667]

Am so enjoying this. And learning. Great job by the interviewer and the beautiful Nobel laureate.

[@pl8101]

I do not believe/buy into the KZbin video presentation crazy crap lies and his holy cow 🐄 Modi Hindu temple India guest. 😊😊

[@Mark-te8ky]

Does anyone know how to contact Dr. Venki Ramakrishnan? I met him in NYC recently but forgot to ask him something. TY!

[@breathlessMay]

I wish more professors could think of returning in the way he does.

[@user-wj9jm1ox8i]

If we are as healthy and without diseases at old age as we are when young, then there’s no reason to die at that old age is there? Aren’t those diseases and overall unhealthiness a precursor to death? So I don’t see why is it a paradox

[@beerman204]

Dr House said "there is dignity in life, not in death"...not saying he is right....

[@swaminathansundaram427]

What is the processes of aging why should we grow at all so these are all mind blowing questions our Rishis have said that one could live up to 120 years but on the contrary death comes early what is the cause for all these things

[@Saed7630]

Great talk🎉

[@whocareswhoami7278]

Attitude towards Life is an important factor in life expectancy. Death is an important part of life. It allows fresh life to flourish.

[@MarkShinnick]

Disappointed ribosomes and related organelles were not further touched upon.

[@jeffrey4577]

49:30... Talk to Dr panda at salk institute about sleep/circadian rhythm.....

[@adjusted-bunny]

It is true we should have a flexible retirement age. I for one retired at the age of 48. And I have always taken the sleep advice very seriously. I even slept in the office.

[@gregorymoats4007]

If you retired at 48 you had help, luck, and inheritance….

[@XSD.1.]

How old are you now?

[@adjusted-bunny]

@@XSD.1. 59

[@LadyBug1967]

A very interesting guest. MY first question would be regarding his father: DOES his father live in India? DOES his father eat Indian food ? I gather he cooks so does he cook and eat Indian food , includes the Indian spices? Re health care: IS he in India where he seeks healthcare or is he in America where he seeks healthcare?. THESE are very basic questions and I really wish he would have filled it out a little bit more😊

[@oneforallah]

24:50 you missed a great oppurtunity here if u were actually listening to what venki was saying instead of just waiting to get ur bit in or question in, could have said his dad is living this long cause he got a wonderful son in Venki, to watch his son and his accomplishments etc.

[@hansbleuer3346]

Common sense in the best manner. Thanks.

[@Kaoniao]

Death after birth is the biggest test in this lifetime. One should prepare for that time from as early as possible. The body is just a vehicle that brings us through this lifetime and when death occurs, will go back to the elements.

[@conr2141]

The skeptics simply aren't accounting for the exponential nature of progress and innovation.. The next 20 years of innovation will eclipse all of humanity's innovation up until this point in time, in all fields of research.. That is the nature of exponential growth.

[@pauo6192]

Healthy life is: independent, self care, don't drag the society down from mental to wealth, very important emotional.

[@linmorell1813]

Queen Elizabeth’s mother was over 100 when she died

[@thorntonwilliams3851]

She's was well kept. No strenuous work on her part.

[@chriscarpunky]

Hardly had stress inside. Those she travelled and had commitments she never worried about a paycheck or having the best healthcare, what to fix for dinner or how she was going to take care of her kids while working. She didn’t have to save for college for her kids or go to school to get a job and work her way up.

[@danlowe8684]

The thymus goes downhill after 50 and produces fewer and fewer t-cells over time, which limits our ability to fight disease as we age.

[@anps83]

Yes, one hurdle among many, upstream of a portion of the decline indeed. Dr Fahy has conducted some quite promising clinical trials on thymus regeneration already. See for instance kzbin.info/www/bejne/h2LZZWhvZc-thbc. We need to be proactive in fighting aging, instead of saying "it will never happen" (yes, striving for extneded lifespan, rather than just "healthspan" within the current maxlifespan).

[@robertthompson5501]

Reference please. 🙏🏻👹🏊‍♀️🏋🏻

[@danlowe8684]

It was from a lecture by Dr. David Lewis of Stanford titled: The Necessity of the Immune System. It is on the Stanford YT page and dated March 2010. I didn't post link because YT doesn't like them but searched it and it comes right up. It is one of the best lectures I have watched. Specifically, he brings up the thymus in the Q&A session at the end. I had never even heard of the thymus before, but I assume that is where the t-cell got its 't'. He speculates that that the decline of the thymus is evolutionary in nature because we simply didn't live that long. EDIT: It's around 1:06:00.@@robertthompson5501

[@sumanmahajan6787]

Get to the chase Venky

[@shahrulamar5358]

Our former Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir already 94 year old when he resigned in February 2020. 🇲🇾

[@jmc8076]

This deserves millions of views but now a multi $ billion industry. Edit: 51:18 is ~13-16 Km per day @92.

[@sundarrajan9886]

One should read the death experience he had at the age of sixteen yrs. This lead to his enlightenment. He was a great sage who lived till 1950 in South India. His name was RAMANA MAHARISHI. HE discovered like other Sages in the past that only your mind and body die! The ATMA or THE SOUL IS immortal as pure blissful Self- Awareness. He advised to not worry about physical death but to attain your true state which is eternal.

[@jeffrey4577]

55:00...👍‼️

[@madmartigan8119]

I work in an assisted living facility, its more of an end of life facility. I have had the pleasure of knowing mutiple residents who made it to 100, we have one resident now who is 105, she still has her mind and keeps a daily routine. She eats normal and is a lovely person. I dunno if there is a magical formula, I will take what I can get.

[@oneforallah]

I wish u best of health but respectfully life is not meant to go on forever, what are you even holding on for at this point.

[@noam65]

I remember back to the off health, diet, and fitness guru of the west, for those of us old enough to remember him, Jack Lalanne. He was convinced, to the day he died, that he could live forever, and if I could have put my money on anybody who might do it, it was he. It was said that he was very angry to die, even though his body and mind were in excellent shape, at that time. He was a very healthy 96 years of age. The best option is to live joyfully and as healthy as long as you can.

[@justtired123]

He refused to go to the Dr when he had a lubg infection. Pribably coukd have luved a littke lobger. That said his brother, who did not focus on healthy lifestyle, lived just about as long as Jack. Its mostky genetics

[@kadirveluchandrasekaran7896]

Venki has a knack of putting across his points vividly .Typical South Indian clarity . Long life span with abrupt end is better than surviving long with multiple sicknesses .Durable and serviceable is preferable .

[@jaggiayyangar5607]

Good summary of Evolution, diet and Medicine as it applies to human longevity. But I didn't see any discussion of Telomerase and its correlation to longevity, and the fact that longevity (longest lived human) has not changed one bit despite advances in medicine. Is it because the interviewer didn't ask or because Dr. Ramakrishnan didn't find them relevant?

[@omrit2]

He's a smart scientist, but I didn't really get any insight or revelation from this discussion.

[@user-nx6ji9tk8i]

It,s an opinion piece. Not rigorous scientific research. i,m older than this guy and wonder what more we,ve learned since the 1960s. We knew the basics on nutrition then, before the madness of industrialisation of manufactured foods and all that sugar. Ditch the junk. Keep active and eat your greens!

[@azmd888]

The only thing I don't agree with him is about retirement, which to be fair was briefly discussed in this podcast

[@peijuechen]

Totally agree with his point on retirement. It is only natural for young generations to stand up, to contribute. The older generation help the younger one to succeed, not blocking the way.