#085 - Steven Austad: Riding Lions and Unlocking the Secrets of Aging

About this episode

Steven Austad discusses the science of aging and longevity, exploring various biological mechanisms and societal implications.

Steven Austad is a Distinguished Professor and the Protective Life Endowed Chair in Healthy Aging Research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, as well as the Scientific Director of the American Federation for Aging Research. A former Hollywood lion trainer turned leading biologist, Austad explores the evolutionary and biological mechanisms that control how fast we age. In this episode, we dive into the science of longevity — from why island opossums age slower to what birds can teach us about extending human healthspan. We also discuss why women consistently live longer than men, despite facing more health challenges in old age, and the flaws in how aging research is conducted in sterile lab environments. Finally, Austad shares insights behind his famous $100 million bet that someone alive today will live to 150. Topics: longevity science, women’s lifespan, comparative biology, aging research, healthspan extension, evolutionary biologyFor more information about this episode, see our website: https://www.discoveringacademia.com/episodes/steven-austadThis presentation is a service of Discovering Academia, and all information presented is for commercial and informational…

People in this episode

Hosts: Brent Valentine, Keller Kramer

Guest: Steven Austad

Topics covered

• longevity science
• women’s lifespan
• comparative biology
• aging research
• healthspan extension
• evolutionary biology

Keywords

• aging
• longevity
• healthspan
• evolutionary biology
• women's lifespan
• biological mechanisms
• aging research

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Alabama at Birmingham, American Federation for Aging Research

More episodes of Discovering Academia

• #088 - Marion Nestle: Food Politics, Industry Influence, and the Fight for Public Health · June 4, 2026 · 47 min
• #087 - Robert Langer: Inventing the Future of Medicine · April 29, 2026 · 37 min
• #086 - Richard Miller: There Is No "Mechanism" of Aging · November 25, 2025 · 1h 15m
• #084 - Ying Lu: How Cells Recycle Protein and Prevent Alzheimer's · October 28, 2025 · 58 min
• #083 - Homa Bahrami: Super-Flexibility, Agile Organizations, & The Evolution of Silicon Valley · May 30, 2025 · 1h 6m
• #082 - Amber Boydstun: Media Storms, Social Media, and the Battle for Your Attention · May 23, 2025 · 1h 8m