
The Jacob Shapiro Podcast “The Longevity Dividend, or, Why You Shouldn’t Bathe in the Blood of Virgins”
Nov 17, 2025
Dylan Livingston, founder of the Alliance for Longevity Initiatives (A4LI), discusses the transformative potential of longevity science. He delves into how treating aging as a solvable issue could reshape economies, global power dynamics, and healthcare. The conversation covers the historical quest for immortality and how modern medicine aims to extend not just life, but healthy life. Livingston also shares insights on bipartisan policy advocacy, fundraising for research, and the economic impact of longer, healthier lives.
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From Pyramids To Parabiosis
- Jacob recounts historical examples like Qin Shi Huang and Elizabeth Bathory to show extremes humans pursued for longevity.
- Dylan links these myths to modern studies like plasmapheresis and parabiosis in mice.
Longevity Is An Age‑Old Human Obsession
- Longevity has been a universal human quest from ancient myths to modern science.
- Historical obsessions (from Gilgamesh to Qin Shi Huang) show continuity in pursuing extended life.
Healthspan Over Simple Lifespan Extension
- Longevity medicine focuses on extending healthspan, not merely lifespan.
- Targeting the root causes of cellular aging could compress morbidity into a shorter final period.






