Bryan Johnson's X (formerly Twitter) profile reads "Bryan Johnson /dd." The "dd" is short for "don't die," and it's Johnson's ultimate goal — to escape the ravages of time and cheat death itself. His perhaps quixotic quest for immortality consumes most of his waking (and sleeping) hours, costs him millions of dollars each year, and demands dozens of supplements each day, constant measurements of fitness and bodily function, and frequent experimental anti-aging treatments. And until relatively recently, Johnson routinely paid extravagant sums to infuse his own blood with his teenage son's plasma.
Most people aren't as extreme as Johnson, but he's not exactly alone among the ultra-wealthy. According to Pharmaceutical Technology, anti-aging research is increasingly fashionable among biotech startups and billionaires with more money than they can spend in ten average lifetimes. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has placed his own sizable bet on Altos Labs, which is researching technologies to rejuvenate cells, reverse certain health conditions and prolong lifespans. They report excellent results in mouse studies.
But Altos wasn't Bezos's first venture into anti-aging technology. The occasional wealthiest man on Earth also invested in Unity Biotechnology, which also attracted investments from PayPal cofounder Peter Thiel and venture capitalist Robert Nelson. But that investment may not pan out after a failed drug trial in 2023 sent Unity's shares tumbling 60 percent.
Fortunately, Bezos and Thiel can both probably afford the hit if they fail to recoup their anti-aging investments. But if a true cure for aging is ever discovered, both men might outlive their vast fortunes.