Healthspan: The Science of Aging Well

Science has extended the human lifespan, but our later years often bring chronic disease. But it may no longer need to be that way. Through careful reporting and expert commentary, this special report explores new paths to healthy, vital lives at 90 and beyond.

This series was created for Google, the Buck Institute, Optispan and Phenome Health by Scientific American Custom Media, a division separate from the magazine’s board of editors.

Download Special Report

Watercolor illustration of an elderly man using a cane, and then standing straight.

Greg Betza

Illustration of a person in a wheelchair, holding the hand of someone levitating.

The Age of Aging Better

Extending the human healthspan would bring happiness, vitality, productivity and meaning to millions of older adults. It would also transform society

Jeremy A. Abbate

Watercolor illustration of an elderly man with a cane, morphing into a man standing straight

The Healthspan Paradigm

Lifespan is outpacing the number of years people live in good health. Scientists are developing ways of preventing illness and slowing the aging process

David H. Freedman

Illustration of a colorful bar chart and people with different ailments

The Conditions that Keep Us from a Healthy Old Age

For people in the U.S., a handful of major conditions erode their healthy years

Katie Peek

Computerized illustration of a Greek or Roman vase with a design of a ancient person and modern day doctor

AI Is Driving a Return to Holistic Medicine

New insights on genomes and phenomes are laying the groundwork for prevention and personalized care

James Yurkovich, Leroy Hood

Illustration of two people pushing against a clock

Is Human Aging Reversible?

The geroscience hypothesis holds that targeting molecular pathways that drive aging can give us more healthy years. Evidence is mounting

Eric Verdin, Gordon Lithgow

Illustration of three people in white lab coats pulling on a line graph

A Practical Approach to Healthspan Medicine

Some forward-thinking physicians are forging a new protocol for keeping their patients healthy as they age

Matt Kaeberlein

Illustration of a face, half youthful and half older

How Old are You Really?

Biomarkers of aging are revealing important insights into health and longevity

Morgan Levine

Illustration of large clocks with lungs inside them, against a purple background

How Our Bodies Age, System by System

Why some systems fade faster than others, and why that matters

Katie Peek

Conceptual illustration of an hourglass with eggs on the bottom and a human on the top

The Health Effects of Ovaries

Scientists must find a way to extend the benefits of healthy ovaries to women even after they pass menopause

Francesca E. Duncan

Graphic illustration of the shadows of a man and woman testing their strength on a scale

The Lifestyle Changes That Increase Healthspan

How much do healthy habits now create healthy years later?

Katie Peek

Illustration of two people rowing a boat through a colorful place

The Doctors Pioneering Healthspan Medicine

By incorporating healthspan science into clinical practice, some doctors are navigating a gray area between mainstream science and more speculative therapies

Adam Piore

Illustration of the face of a man against a yellow background

Peter Attia’s Healthspan Crusade

The best-selling author and podcaster on how to preserve robust physical, cognitive and emotional health, and how Medicine 3.0 could make the difference

Adam Piore

Illustration of a body laying down, with small doctors walking inside the body

Sleeping Well Can Lengthen Healthspan

Studies confirm the importance of a good night’s rest

Katie Peek

Gif of a computerized-like body

Your Digital Twin May Be Arriving Soon

Researchers are building AI-powered models of human biology to help us live our healthiest lives

Scott Penberthy

Gif of a pill

Artificial Intelligence is Reshaping Healthcare

Powerful AI-based tools have begun to accelerate disease diagnoses and mine data in search of novel drugs

David H. Freedman, Esther Landhuis, Mike May

Illustration of a globe sitting on a rocking chair, with a dollar sign as the background shadow against a green wall

The Healthspan Economy

A five-year-old today has an extremely good chance of living to 90 and beyond. To cope, we need an economic and cultural revolution aimed at changing how we age

Andrew J. Scott

Illustration of an apple tree and a hand reaching for an apple

Why Science Alone Cannot Extend Healthspan

To take full advantage of the latest science of wellness, the U.S. will have to treat a different kind of disease: social inequality

Robert Lee Kilpatrick

Illustration of three people skydiving, with teeth as the parachute

Why a Healthy Smile Is Key to Long-Term Vitality

Oral healthcare is shaping up to be a central part of the effort to increase healthspans

Lisa Simon

An elderly woman outdoors holding a walking stick

Living Healthy at 90 and Beyond

Donna Denman’s story provides one example of a life of activity, social attachments and higher purpose

Neenah Ellis

An elderly woman lobstering on a boat

Centenarians with Pizzazz

An active lifestyle keeps some people energetic, even after a century

Mike May