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CNET
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
I Took a Quick Tour Through Longevity Culture. Here's What I Learned About Reverse Aging
I'm standing in a drafty room with several hundred people in London's Truman Brewery, all of us shaking our hands above our heads, woo-wooing our way to the end of another day at SXSW. I won't lie –– I'd hoped something like this would happen at some point during the week. Weird, offbeat moments such as this really separate a fun conference from a boring one. This particular moment is a mini taste of a "longevity rave" –– an event style that's popping up around the world, run by those who believe music, movement and connection can impact our health and happiness in the long term. "Genetics is a very small determinant of health –– other factors are more important," Tina Brown, a social entrepreneur and systems architect who co-founded Longevity Rave, told us just minutes earlier. "The joy of living is a really powerful motivator." The idea of living longer, healthier lives is nothing new, but the science of aging is now better understood than ever, and methods to reduce the often substantial gap between our lifespans and the length of time we're able to stay healthy (known as health spans) are becoming more accessible. I've long been skeptical about the idea of investing significant time and money into trying to live longer –– but perhaps that's because I just assumed it wasn't for people like me. Back in 2017, I interviewed billionaire tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson about his mission to level up everyone, including himself, by implanting chips in our brains so that we could compete with AI. This conversation has haunted me over the years. Even though I've dabbled in biohacking myself (I have a chip in my hand to do basic smartphone-related tasks), I'd advocate for a cautious approach. Entrepreneur Bryan Johnson talks about taking extreme measures in the name of longevity. Hubert Vestil/SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty Images Since then, Johnson's name has become synonymous with taking extreme measures to reverse aging and extend his life — among them, injecting the blood of his 17-year-old son into his 47-year-old body (he has since ceased this practice in favor of "total plasma exchange"). The quest for longevity is often associated with Silicon Valley billionaire biohacker boys like Johnson and Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, which makes it feel alienating and inaccessible. That's why at SXSW London, I was curious to see not one but two all-female panels discussing reverse aging and extending our health spans. The panels didn't indulge in the kind of anti-aging rhetoric I've grown up with, which demands that women do everything in their power to remain young and beautiful. Even though, as Canadian comedian Katherine Ryan joked during one of the panels, women should avoid stress by staying single, as "it makes you ugly, being married to a loser." The new science of aging Ryan hosts a podcast called What's My Age Again?, in which she interviews celebrities who have undergone testing to determine their biological age as a jumping-off point for discussing their own relationship to aging. Celebrity women, perhaps more than any of us, live inside a vanity pressure cooker, where their appearance is constantly judged. It's fair to say that a surge of famous women, from the Kardashians to Meghan Trainor, have been vocal about all of the many steps they've taken to reverse their aging. Cosmetic benefits aside, the health and quality of life benefits often make the most compelling case for the pursuit of longevity. With more women having babies later, they want to maintain their youthful energy to be present, active parents, said Ryan. Also, for many of us, there is a significant gap between the number of years that make up our lifespan and the number of years we remain healthy. But many believe that this gap is ours for the closing. "A person's biological age and chronological age often don't match," said Nichola Conlon, a molecular biologist and CEO of healthy aging company Nuchido, who is a frequent guest on Ryan's podcast. "Everyone associates age with a number… that kind of doesn't matter anymore." Katherine Ryan, left, and Nichola Conlon at SXSW London. Lorne Thomson/Redferns In the past, scientists thought that how we age was a fixed process determined almost entirely by our genetics. That's no longer the case (as confirmed by multiple peer-reviewed studies that confirm aging is influenced by multiple factors). "Aging is a malleable process, as we are finding," said Brown. The science is fast evolving, and there's even an XPrize Healthspan, offering $101 million to anyone who can come up with a solution to knock 10 to 20 years off someone's age. We already know that aging is influenced by a variety of factors, in addition to genetics –– largely how we live our lives. As such, it's important that we attempt to understand our bodies and treat them well, which is pretty universal advice. "You can live more healthily in middle age if you stop following general guidelines and instead follow your data," said Deepti Agarwal, a doctor specializing in healthy aging, during a panel about valuing health span over lifespan. This approach, known as precision medicine, advocates for a tailored, rather than one-size-fits-all approach to health. It takes a lot of the guesswork out of medicine, but isn't without its criticisms. Longevity, but only for a select few? Transferring the responsibility for aging to the individual can reduce support for public health measures, said Timothy Caulfield, a professor and the research director at the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta, speaking not at SXSW, but on the Atlantic's How to Defy Death podcast (a deep dive I'd recommend if you want to learn more). It's all very well emphasizing that you have control over your own longevity if you have the time, money and resources to take care of yourself, he said. But that's simply not the case for many people, meaning that seeking to prolong longevity has the potential to exacerbate existing inequalities. He added that it also sends the message to people that "if you're not doing it, you're failing." It also creates space for the wellness industry to exploit people's anxieties by selling them products based on sketchy science-adjacent claims that aren't necessarily supported by a robust body of evidence, said Caulfield. There is an important conversation to be had about equal access to longevity treatments as it becomes more mainstream, said Cat Wiles, founder and CSO of marketing agency Spark, who appeared on the panel alongside Ryan and Conlon. "We're already starting to see warning signs about inequality," she said. Age spans might be increasing among the wealthy elite, but in poorer areas, the reverse is often true. Private health companies are already giving people who can afford it tools to improve their health, and it would be worrying to think insurance premiums could be tied to your biological age, Wiles added. Conlon has hope, though, that we'll reach a point at which longevity medicine is so affordable that it will become "unethical" for doctors not to help you slow down or reverse your aging. Plenty of the more extreme measures taken by the billionaire biohackers –– Johnson's blood exchange, for example –– will likely remain inaccessible (as well as unsavory) to most of us. The same might not be true of other solutions. Nuchido, Conlon's company, makes NAD Plus supplements, which are popular among celebrities and have some evidence to support their use for anti-aging, although they are the subject of much ongoing research. During the health span panel, Tamsin Lewis, a doctor who founded the de-aging company Wellgevity, said that intravenous NADs are not the answer to slowing down your rate of aging. It will slow down your finances, though. Instead, she and the other women on her panel advocated prioritizing cheaper interventions. What actually works? It might not be what you want to hear if you're ready to throw money at the problem, but the best scientific evidence we currently have to support healthy aging and longevity are the obvious solutions: We need to prioritize nutrition, exposure to sunlight, movement and building muscle. "We wear this meat jacket, but it's very much a scaffolding for our longevity," said Lewis. "It protects our brain, bones, hips, sleep and blood sugar levels." Other key factors include getting enough sleep, minimizing stress, maximizing resilience and bolstering our emotional and mental health. "The movement of longevity has got bogged down in biohacking bros," said Nikolina Glauc, co-founder and CEO of GlycanAge, a company that uses biomarkers to detect disease on a molecular level. The biggest thing that has made a difference for her in her own quest to extend her lifespan is psychotherapy, she added. As Lewis closes out the session with breathwork and the mini rave, I feel as though I've been on an entire journey through longevity culture. I feel skeptical about some of the pricey reverse aging options that I've come across, which feel a little like exploitative wellness culture dressed up in dubious science. I also worry about unequal access to reverse aging solutions and the social and public health impacts. At the same time, I feel buoyed by some of the research currently underway, particularly by what Brown calls the "science of connection," which she's exploring through dance, music and community. "In the end, humans need to be with other people," she said. Of all the advice I've received, it feels like the easiest to follow –– and even if it doesn't wind back the clock for me, it will at least keep me sane and happy for the duration of my lifespan.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Idris Elba on His Dyslexia, His African Cinema Vision and Doing 'a Little Bit of Everything'
Idris Elba tackled the power of imagination during a conversation at the inaugural SXSW London on Wednesday, which took place at Truman Brewery in the British capital's Shoreditch neighborhood. The actor's experience with dyslexia, his development work in Africa and his vision to build out the theatrical circuit on the continent were among the various topics he touched on during a wide-ranging discussion, which was dubbed 'Creativity as Capital for Change.' More from The Hollywood Reporter 'Maxton Hall' Season 2 to Premiere in November, First Teaser Revealed ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus on Writing a Musical Assisted by AI and Those Kiss Avatars: SXSW London Banijay Has No Immediate Plans to Buy ITV Studios as CEO Talks Consolidation at SXSW London The multi-hyphenate — actor, musician, filmmaker, entrepreneur, philanthropist — was interviewed by British radio broadcaster and TV show host Clara Amfo in a session that easily drew the largest crowd of SXSW London so far, with a line snaking around the block. Joining the star on stage were several of his collaborators, including director Stefan Schwartz (Luther). A preview of the Elba appearance on the SXSW London website promised that the star would 'explore how creative influence can challenge injustice and unlock new economic models.' Elba shared that he, too, knows what it's like to despair when watching the news these days. 'You know, I think all of us have gone through a stage. We wake up, turn on the news, and it's despair after despair. It's bad news after bad news,' he said. 'And what's driving me is the fact that I get to wake up and do something new every day. It's driving me that I get to do better than yesterday.' He then explained the title of the session by taking a deeper look at the phrase 'money makes the world go round.' 'That's, to some degree, very true,' he declared. 'But in my head, it's my imagination that makes the world go round. So, trying to get young people to understand that their capital, their wealth, their fortune, is within themselves, within that creative tool set, and being able to articulate themselves.' He then turned his attention to the next generation of creators by encouraging them to appreciate the power of their own creativity. 'Part of the reason why I do a little bit of everything, and annoy everyone, is because I just feel it's better that you illustrate to young people to just try it, just go through it.' He concluded: 'Young people don't realize how expensive their imaginations are, how valuable their imaginations are when they share ideas and they create stuff.' In an emotional moment, Elba opened up about his dyslexia. 'I knew that I find reading scripts very difficult, actually absorbing the words,' he shared. 'I didn't know at the time that I am dyslexic. It became a bit of a hindrance for me. You're reading a lot of different scripts at the same time, especially through series, we're reading revisions all the time. And so Stefan and I bonded over this idea that he had: what if we could do it in a different way and help, in an inclusive way, people with dyslexia [and any sort of neurodiversity] to absorb scripts.' So the two and others developed over the past several years the app Taking Scripts, which a description says allows users to 'hear scripts with realistic voices wherever you are, with only the parts you need — no headers or unwanted extras.' Elsewhere, Elba founded The Akuna Group to drive growth opportunities in Africa with a focus on such sectors as the creative industries, agriculture and infrastructure, 'aiming to empower Africa's growth through innovation and impact.' The Akuna Wallet in Ghana — which, according to the website, 'empowers Ghanaian creators to get paid directly from anyone, anywhere' — is one key service that he said he would like to roll out more widely around the continent and world over time. And Elba shared a vision for making the traditional cinema experience more widely available in Africa. 'I want to build the African Odeon,' he said. 'There's a crazy number across the entire continent: [there's] less than about 3,000 cinemas, actual cinemas that you and I have grown up with. I would love to be able to tackle some of that, because I believe that the cinema experience that we all have gone through should be experienced by a new generation.' Concluded Elba: 'How do I do that? I guess by building a model of data that shows that, actually, you do want to watch films and enjoy the experience of the theater.' Earlier on Wednesday, SXSW London sessions featured ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus and Letitia Wright, among others. SXSW London runs through June 7. Penske Media, the parent company of The Hollywood Reporter, is the majority stakeholder of SXSW. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts Hollywood Stars Who Are One Award Away From an EGOT 'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now
CNBC
03-06-2025
- Business
- CNBC
AI, trade and $24 socks: Inside the inaugural SXSW in London
South by Southwest (SXSW) may be a well-known event in the United States, but it certainly hasn't reached the same level of recognition in Britain. "What's that?" asked a pedestrian who was passing by a SXSW London sign. SXSW is a festival held in Austin, Texas, every year that brings together big names in music, film, art and technology. The organizers have brought the event to London for the first time this week, and CNBC took at look at what's going on. CNBC's Tania Bryer moderated a discussion with London Mayor Sadiq Khan who during an opening speech made the pitch for the city as a "hub for talent, trade, tech and innovation." Khan took veiled swipes at the U.S. President Donald Trump and his trade policies and pitched London as open for business. "So at the time when there's so much uncertainty and political turmoil across the pond, defined by an inward looking mentality, I'm going to reach out to international investors, businesses and creators to say that London offers you the opposite," Khan said, according to Deadline. SXSW is being held in various venues across the creative neighborhood of Shoreditch which is also close to Old Street, a key tech hub in the early days of London's startup scene. Shoreditch was taken over by SXSW London branding, from murals to signs on lampposts. Big names are in attendance, such as "Game of Thrones" star Sophie Turner and actor and musician Idris Elba. On the tech front, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis spoke, as did Thomas Wolf, co-founder of artificial intelligence firm Hugging Face. So what was the experience like? The day started with me picking up my press pass and receiving an SXSW tote bag. There was a schedule and map in there and bar of SXSW-branded Tony's Chocolonely. I made my way to Shoreditch Electric, a venue I just found out is home to the National Centre for Circus Arts. I watched a session where Thomas Wolf of Hugging Face discussed the progress of open-source artificial intelligence models and the future of robotics. Open source is a big deal in AI right now because of the strong performance of those models, especially out of China, which are free to use. The venue was an industrial-style, exposed brick building. Just outside was a coffee bar, which was perfect for the sunny weather in London on Monday. I then walked over to the Truman Brewery, where the main stage of the conference was. Outside the entrance were lots of food trucks and, of course, big brand displays from sunglasses firm Ray-Ban and electric car company Polestar, which had live music performances throughout the day. Then there was the official merchandise store which was selling a pair of SXSW-branded socks for £18 ($24) and a T-shirt for £30. After a quick security check, I was in the Truman Brewery in time for a session from Hassabis. I decided to try to watch it on stage but the line to get in was long, even about half an hour before the talk. So I decided to watch it on a screen in the media lounge, which had pretty decent sandwiches. AI was certainly a big theme, with companies like Hugging Face, Google DeepMind and even Wayve, a U.K. driverless car startup backed by SoftBank, discussing the future of the technology. Hassabis spoke about artificial general intelligence (AGI), which is generally understood as AI that is smarter than humans. He said AGI would be "bigger" than the Industrial Revolution and the internet in terms of its impact on society. He also warned about the need to develop this technology responsibly. The DeepMind founder also said that over the next five to 10 years, AI tools are going to "supercharge technically savvy people who are at the forefront of using these technologies, but combining it with creativity and other skills." "I think they're going to be able to achieve superhuman things," Hassabis said. There are lots of big names performing throughout the week, including R&B star Tems — but they're far too late in the evening and don't sync up with my 5 a.m. wake-up call. So you'll have to look on social media to see what kind of vibe those events have.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Inaugural SXSW London Opens With Mayor Sadiq Khan Taking Shots at ‘Inward-Looking Mentality' of U.S. and Trump Tariffs: ‘The U.K. is Tearing Down Barriers to Trade, Not Putting Up Walls'
The inaugural SXSW London has officially been opened by London mayor Sadiq Khan. In a speech at the Truman Brewery in the creative neighborhood of Shoreditch on Monday morning, Khan hailed London as a 'creative hotbed,' a 'gateway to the world,' and a 'hub for talent, trade, tech and innovation.' More from Variety Alief Snaps Up Worldwide Rights to 'Luna Rosa,' Debuts Teaser Ahead of SXSW London Premiere (EXCLUSIVE) Angelina Jolie and Ellie Goulding Ask Viewers to 'Bee Wild' In Environmental Doc by Rebecca and Josh Tickell, Heading to SXSW London (EXCLUSIVE) Mike Flanagan's 'Life of Chuck' to Close Screen Festival of Inaugural SXSW London (EXCLUSIVE) He also used to opportunity on stage as a pitch to lure investment to the British capital by highlighting what he described as the 'uncertainty and political turmoil' and an 'inward-looking mentality' in the U.S., and taking aim at the tariffs imposed by Donald Trump since he started his second terms as president. 'London is somewhere that is resolutely pro-business, pro-growth and pro-freedom of expression. And following new trade deals with India, the U.S. and the E.U. — which mean the UK is tearing down barriers to trade, not putting up walls — there's never been a better time to come and create, collaborate and invest in our city,' he said. 'Elsewhere you might see uncertainty; unpredictability; and efforts to wind back the clock on individual liberties, the freedom of the press, and democracy. Not in London. In London, you don't just find stability and certainty. You find a city which stands strong as a bastion against hate. And a city which shines bright as a beacon of hope, progress and possibility.' In keep with the theme, Khan added that in London 'we don't simply tolerate diversity, we celebrate inclusion' and in another comment that could be seen to be directly aimed at the current U.S. administration, said the city was a 'welcoming hub for international students.' Khan noted that he spoke at SXSW in Austin in 2018, where he said he called for the tech revolution to be steered in a way that was beneficial for society. Given the huge leaps made in AI since, he said the conversations at SXSW London were 'so consequential,' and that he was pushing to make London a 'global center' for AI investment and innovation. 'Because I want the defining technologies of the 21st century not just to be pioneered in London, but to be shaped by our values,' he said. 'It's how we can mitigate potential harms; It's how we can mitigate potential harms; Eliminate bias and discrimination; And ensure the moral dimension in any new tech is given equal weight to market considerations.' The first SXSW London run June 2-7, with speakers including Idris Elba and Julian Lennon alongside the CEOs of Twitch, WPP, OnlyFans and Google Deepmind. Variety parent company PMC owns the SXSW franchise. Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in June 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts?
Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- Times
12 things to see at this year's SXSW London festival
I n the first week of June, the world's largest arts, music and innovation festival, SXSW, will make its UK debut in London. Bringing together creatives and tech innovators, the European meet-up will host conference talks, screenings and music performances with an eclectic lineup that includes A-list actors, award-winning songwriters, Premier League footballers and new-age meditation gurus. From headline acts to leftfield oddities, here's who to try and catch at this year's festival. The actor, producer, DJ and campaigner Idris Elba is leading a future-gazing talk at the Truman Brewery on the theme of creativity as capital for change. The Luther star will be joined by a panel of special guests to discuss how music and art can challenge injustice, plus how we can unlock new economic models for global creators to sustain their work financially. June 4, 4.45-5.30pm, Truman Brewery
