The passage discusses the history of efforts to prolong human life, from Juan Ponce de Leon's search for the Fountain of Youth in the 16th century to modern scientific research areas like telomerase expression, gene therapy, and studying the hypothalamus region of the brain. While life expectancy has doubled since 1900 due to medical advances, some argue this could strain resources on an overpopulated planet. The passage examines both the progress made and ongoing questions around radical life extension.