First published 2025
Death terrifies humans so deeply that most people spend their lives denying its reality. Religions promise immortal afterlives or endless reincarnation cycles to help believers avoid confronting mortality's finality. Children face a crushing moment when they first understand that everyone they love will die. But biology is advancing rapidly, with major discoveries explaining why organisms age and why lifespans vary dramatically between species. Nobel Prize winner Venki Ramakrishnan guides readers through current research frontiers where scientists work to extend human lifespan by changing our natural biology. He explores whether humans could eventually defeat disease and death, potentially living many times longer than today. Yet Ramakrishnan also questions whether death serves important biological functions and examines the social and ethical consequences of pursuing immortality. This book offers readers scientific insights into mortality's deepest mysteries.
Genres: science, death, social-science, non-fiction, biology, academic
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: academic, scientific-research
320 pages · Paperback · Hodder Press