Why We’re Living Longer | TED Radio Hour

Intro

In this episode of the TED Radio Hour, host Guy Raz explores the topic of why we’re living longer. He delves into the progress made in human life expectancy over the past century and the factors that have contributed to this increase. From breakthrough innovations to social movements, this episode uncovers the fascinating story behind our longer lifespans.

Main Takeaways

Health Progress is Measured in Non-Events

• Life expectancy has doubled globally in the past 100 years.
• Smallpox infection and car accidents that didn’t happen are examples of health progress.
• The story of health progress is made up of slow, incremental progress and a thousand different interventions from different fields.

Breakthrough Innovations and Interventions

• Artificial fertilizer, vaccines, and toilets/sewers are among the interventions that saved billions of lives.
• Innovations like refrigeration and radiology also contributed to increasing life expectancy.
• Rough orders of magnitude were used to quantify the impact of interventions.

The Fight for Milk Safety and Pasteurization

• Swill milk, made from feeding cows waste products from whiskey stilleries, was a major health risk in 19th century New York City.
• The conventional story of solving the milk contamination problem with pasteurization overlooks the 50-year gap between its development and widespread adoption.
• The adoption of pasteurization was a significant step in ensuring milk safety.

Institutional Innovations and Public Health

• Large bureaucratic institutions played a role in improving public health by regulating pharmaceutical drugs.
• The FDA mandated that pharma companies show that their drugs were not harmful to consumers, leading to new institutions and innovations like three-phase trials and randomized controlled experiments.
• Meta innovations like randomized controlled trials have had the widest influence in public health.

The Future of Life Expectancy

• Immunotherapies and gene therapies are two of the most interesting advances in increasing life expectancy.
• There is serious research suggesting we can live for decades longer, maybe even indefinitely.
• Closing the gap between health span and lifespan should be the second great revolution in human health.

Summary

Health Progress and Breakthrough Innovations

Over the past century, life expectancy has doubled globally, thanks to a multitude of interventions and breakthrough innovations. From artificial fertilizer to vaccines and toilets/sewers, these interventions have saved billions of lives. Innovations like refrigeration and radiology have also played a significant role in increasing life expectancy. Quantifying the impact of these interventions has been crucial in understanding their effectiveness.

The Fight for Milk Safety and Pasteurization

In the 19th century, swill milk, made from feeding cows waste products from whiskey stilleries, posed a major health risk in New York City. The conventional story of solving the milk contamination problem with pasteurization overlooks the 50-year gap between its development and widespread adoption. The fight for pasteurization involved social movements and political activism, ultimately leading to its adoption and ensuring milk safety.

Institutional Innovations and Public Health

Large bureaucratic institutions have played a crucial role in improving public health by regulating pharmaceutical drugs. The FDA’s mandate for pharma companies to prove the safety of their drugs led to the development of new institutions and innovations such as three-phase trials and randomized controlled experiments. Meta innovations like randomized controlled trials have had a wide-reaching influence in public health, ensuring the safety and efficacy of interventions.

The Future of Life Expectancy

Advances in immunotherapies and gene therapies hold promise for increasing life expectancy. Serious research suggests that we may be able to live for decades longer, potentially even indefinitely. However, it is important to focus not only on extending life but also on closing the gap between health span and lifespan. This second great revolution in human health aims to ensure that individuals maintain their health and vitality for a longer period of their lives.

Conclusion

The progress made in increasing life expectancy over the past century is a testament to the power of innovation and interventions in improving public health. From breakthrough innovations to social movements, the story of longer lifespans is a complex and fascinating one. As we look towards the future, it is crucial to continue focusing on improving health outcomes and closing the gap between health span and lifespan. By doing so, we can ensure a healthier and more vibrant future for all.