Immortality: A User's Guide

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The French have a peculiar tradition of buying apartments all via J or for life. You find an elderly person with a nice home and no close relatives who could inherit the house, and you pay them a monthly stipend until they die. It's generally a great deal for both parties. What Refre doesn't realize is that he has just signed a contract with a woman who will go on to be the oldest human being that ever lived.

What if you could live forever? Okay, maybe not forever, but for a long, long time — like to 150. First of all, is that even possible? And second, what would that mean for your family, your career, the planet? These are the vexing questions acclaimed science writer Steven Johnson answers in his new audiobook, "Immortality: A User's Guide."

Here's the elevator pitch: we may be on the cusp of a revolution in the science of aging, and we are not prepared for the consequences.

Steven's project is the first in a series we're calling Next Big Idea Originals. These are short (i.e., as long as a movie) audiobooks written by the best authors we know and enhanced with archival footage, scintillating interviews, beautiful sound design, and original music.

If you want to hear "Immortality: A User's Guide" in its entirety, you can download The Next Big Idea app, or you can purchase the audiobook directly from us (and play it in your favorite podcast app) by visiting nextbigideaclub.supportingcast.fm