Exclusive: Prof Jim Al-Khalili argues that efforts by tech billionaires to achieve immortality are misguided. He will present his insights on the nature of time during the upcoming Royal Institution Christmas lectures.
The Pursuit of Immortality
In a world where some individuals are resorting to unregulated peptide injections, cold plunges, and various supplements to combat aging, tech billionaires are taking more extreme measures. For instance, Bryan Johnson, a tech CEO, has experimented with injecting plasma from his 17-year-old son, although he later reported no benefits from the procedure.
Prof Al-Khalili emphasizes that focusing on extending life may distract people from appreciating the present. He stated,
“"We have a finite interval of time in which we exist in the universe. And the more I study the nature of time, the more I think about it, the more I realize that I just want to make the most of the time that I have."
Understanding Time
Al-Khalili has been intrigued by the concept of time since childhood. He recalls being puzzled when his father, an engineer, remarked that no one truly understands time.
“"It was only after training as a physicist you realize that, actually, the notion of time – our commonsense view of time – is very far removed from the way we think about time in physics in particular."
