Ep. 49 - The Business of Life Extension with Chip Walter
In this installment of the Future Grind podcast host Ryan O’Shea speaks with Chip Walter, author of the new book Immortality, Inc.: Renegade Science, Silicon Valley Billions, and the Quest to Live Forever. While writing this book, Chip was granted exclusive access to some of the major players in longevity science, and it provides a dive into the lives, motivations, and work and some names you’ll certainly recognize. In addition to being an author, Chip is a journalist, filmmaker, and former CNN bureau chief. He has published articles for publications such as National Geographic, The Economist, the Wall Street Journal, and Scientific American, and he has written four earlier books on topics such as Star Trek, the space age, and evolution, and they discuss those as well.
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Show Notes
Why write about life extension? [2:47]
Plan B - cryonics & reanimation [5:47]
The major players [7:53]
The approach to the book [10:20]
Inside Calico & their approach [12:13]
The Baby Boomer Influence [19:11]
The Science [23:12]
Meaning of “Immortality” and “Inc.” [25:37]
Concerns about extending lifespan [31:22]
Aging as a disease, & access [35:03]
Writing research & methodology [37:41]
Chip’s strategy for extending health & life [39:10]
Star Trek technologies [41:47]
Evolution & directed evolution [44:57]
Docuseries & future book [47:45]
Get the books & follow along [50:12]
Mentioned
Ralph Merkle
Alcor Life Extension Foundation
Epic of Gilgamesh
The cast:
Larry Page of Google
Ray Kurzweil of Google & Singularity University
Peter Diamandis of XPRIZE
Art Levinson of Apple & Genentech
Aubrey de Grey of SENS Research Foundation
Craig Venter of the J. Craig Venter Institute
Robert Hariri of Human Longevity, Inc.
Bill Maris of Google Ventures
The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe
Calico
Long lived animals -
Naked Mole Rat
Orange Roughy
Bowhead Whales
Blue Zones
I’m Working on That: A Trek From Science Fiction to Science Fact with William Shatner
Facebook’s Oculus
Last Ape Standing: The Seven-Million-Year Story of How and Why We Survived
Thumbs, Toes, and Tears: And Other Traits That Make Us Human
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