Podcast Episode
Horvath, now principal investigator at Altos Labs Cambridge Institute of Science, pioneered the development of epigenetic clocks, tools that measure biological ageing through chemical modifications to DNA called methylation. These modifications change predictably over time, allowing scientists to determine someone's biological age rather than just their chronological age.
Decades later, Horvath's breakthrough came when analysing DNA methylation patterns. He describes the moment of discovery as falling off his chair, a genuine eureka moment that led to increasingly sophisticated tools including GrimAge, which he calls the world's most accurate mortality-risk predictor.
At Altos Labs, Horvath now focuses on identifying interventions that could reverse age-related decline, shifting from writing scientific papers to directly affecting clinical care. Recent advances in artificial intelligence and foundation-model thinking have exceeded his expectations, and he anticipates continued convergence of biological insight, data scale, and computational power through 2026.
Scientist Behind Biological Age Clocks Says 150-Year Lifespans Will Definitely Happen
January 25, 2026
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Steve Horvath, the geneticist who invented epigenetic clocks to measure biological ageing, has declared that extending human lifespan to 150 years is inevitable. Now working at Altos Labs, he remains sceptical about more extreme claims of living to 1,000 years, calling such predictions science fiction.
The Father of Biological Age Measurement Makes Bold Predictions
Steve Horvath, the scientist whose groundbreaking work gave us the ability to measure how old our bodies truly are at a cellular level, has made a striking prediction: humans will eventually live to 150 years old, and he has no doubt about it.Horvath, now principal investigator at Altos Labs Cambridge Institute of Science, pioneered the development of epigenetic clocks, tools that measure biological ageing through chemical modifications to DNA called methylation. These modifications change predictably over time, allowing scientists to determine someone's biological age rather than just their chronological age.
From Teenage Pact to Scientific Revolution
The story behind Horvath's dedication to longevity research is remarkably personal. At just 19 years old in Germany, he and his twin brother Markus made what they called the Gilgamesh contract, named after the ancient Sumerian king who sought immortality. The brothers vowed to dedicate their lives to extending human lifespan.Decades later, Horvath's breakthrough came when analysing DNA methylation patterns. He describes the moment of discovery as falling off his chair, a genuine eureka moment that led to increasingly sophisticated tools including GrimAge, which he calls the world's most accurate mortality-risk predictor.
Cautious Optimism for the Future
While Horvath believes 150-year lifespans will happen with no question, he dismisses predictions of humans living to 1,000 years as totally science fiction. His reasoning is measured: given 100 more years of biomedical innovations, major breakthroughs should be expected, assuming humanity avoids nuclear war and pandemics.At Altos Labs, Horvath now focuses on identifying interventions that could reverse age-related decline, shifting from writing scientific papers to directly affecting clinical care. Recent advances in artificial intelligence and foundation-model thinking have exceeded his expectations, and he anticipates continued convergence of biological insight, data scale, and computational power through 2026.
Published January 25, 2026 at 10:36am