Gilgamesh undertook a perilous journey across ancient Mesopotamia and walked the very bottom of the sea bed in pursuit of immortality and eternalLasting forever. youth. A Hungarian noblewoman bathed in the blood of virgins to retain her youth. The Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang was zealous in his search for an "elixir of life", but died due to mercury poisoning from his rejuvenating recipes.

Sigmund Freud called death "the aim of all life" - but it is also our most prevalent fear. Throughout history, prominent individuals have done everything in their power to put it off, including trying to preserve their youth indefinitely.

But only now does it seem like it may be possible. We have gone to space, created artificial intelligence and edited our genetic codes. It is not unexpected that some of the world's richest are looking to conquer age itself.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is investing huge sums in a biotechnology startup aiming to add 50 years to the human lifespan. Fellow billionaire Peter Thiel signed up with a cryonicsThe practice of freezing the bodies of people who have just died in the hope that future medical treatments will be able to save them. company which freezes bodies and brains indefinitely for an annual payment, using the motto "a fulfilling life doesn't have to end".

If you think that is pretty gnarly stuff, meet Bryan Johnson. The 45-year-old tech millionaire is determined to be a teenager again. He has gone so far as to take blood from his own adolescent son, take part in experimental treatments only tested on mice and make 33,537 images of his bowels in an effort to regenerate all 78 of his organs.

Johnson also follows a strict regimen to de-age his body. Waking up at 5am, he takes 54 supplements and medicines, exercises conscientiously, tests every part of his body and eats a diet of exclusively pureed vegetables.

Life expectancy has doubled over the last 150 years. We are starting to talk not of lifespans, but of "healthspans": the number of healthy years people experience before their ultimate demise. But living longer in an aged and uncomfortable body may quickly transpire to be more of a curse than a blessing.

Many have criticised Johnson and other anti-agers for what they see as a hubristicOverly proud or self-confident. vanity project. Ageing is not only natural, they say, but necessary: new generations take up the mantle from their parents and carve a new path for humankind with new ideas. It is the basis of progress.

But, vampiric plasma treatments aside, is looking for a cure to age really such a bad idea? Age is the highest risk factor for disease. Postponing the ageing process could work as a treatment for age-related illnesses like dementiaA syndrome associated with memory loss and other declining brain functions.  and cancer.

And to an extent, it is something that any of us can do. Experts suggest that lifestyle is responsible for over 90% of your life expectancy, whilst genetics plays a much smaller role. Any one of us can boost our longevity with a simple prescription of nutrition, exercise, sleep and relaxation.

Whether pursuing Dorian GrayThe character created by Oscar Wilde whose wish to stay young and beautiful is granted.'s fantasy or simply looking to expand our longevity in a healthy body, the question remains of how far we are willing to go to sip from the fountain of youth - and how much it is worth.

Yes: Youth is not just a social construct - it is also the time that our bodies are at their healthiest and we can develop new skills more easily. So many diseases are caused by ageing.

No: We should try to optimise health at every age, but not by stigmatising ageing. Many of the people trying to stay "eternally young" are doing so because of aestheticConcerned with an artwork's beauty. Aesthetics is the branch of philosopher that explores art, beauty and taste. and social pressures.

Or... It is hardly worth discussing a recipe for eternal youth as things stand, because at this rate it will only be in the hands of tech billionaires. We should take advantage of any valid medical advancements, but they must be in the hands of everyone.