The Nobel prize winning scientist Venki Ramakrishnan considers both why we might live longer and also the dilemmas this raises. In the last few years medical advance had led to treatments that really do offer the potential to tackle life threatening cancers and debilitating diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. In discussion with Nuala McGovern, Venki also explores the questions such treatments raise. Initially they will be expensive, we already have a global society in which there is a direct link between life expectancy and affluence, will access to these treatments or lack of it, increase that disparity? And although your incurable disease may now be cured, what about the rest of your quality of life? Can the planet support an increasingly needy older and older generation? Does trying to live longer become a selfish act? Nobel prize-winning molecular biologist Venki Ramakrishnan heads a research group at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England. This is the first in a series of four programmes from the Oxford Literary Festival, Presented by Nuala McGovern and produced by Julian Siddle. Recorded in front of an audience at Worcester College Oxford.
Trending: Long Covid: Think yourself well?
Assignment: The Caspian crisis
In the Studio: Zoë Barrett and Patrick Eley
Bonus: The Global Jigsaw
Labelling the world: The power of DSM
The Fifth Floor: Message in a bottle to North Korea
BBC OS Conversations: The floods in Brazil
Heart and Soul: Glorifying God through wine
Bonus: The Global Story
Bonus: Lives Less Ordinary
Assignment: Return of the Benin Bronzes
Crime and punishment in South Africa
In the Studio: Cressida Cowell
The Fifth Floor: China’s global mining for green tech
OS Conversations: Mass tourism
Heart and Soul: A Colombian Christmas in February
Twin towns
Bonus: World of Secrets: The Disciples investigation live show
Assignment: Italy's mafia whistleblower
In the Studio: Abhishek Singh
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Today in Focus
The Intelligence from The Economist
Global News Podcast
The Frommer’s Travel Show
WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station