The defeat of death may be humanity’s oldest dream; it is embedded into our oldest surviving works of literature, including the Epic of Gilgamesh, and in the creation myths of major religions. More recently, however, science has begun to decode aspects of the aging process, to the point where life-extending medicines are no longer the stuff of science fiction and myth. Gifford, author of the New York Times bestseller Spring Chicken, will explore the rich history and possible future of our quest to escape death.