Ways to live for 100 years ⏲️ 6 Minute English

Summary

In this episode of BBC's 6 Minute English, hosts Neil and Beth discuss the increasing number of centenarians and factors contributing to longevity, such as diet, exercise, and social connections. They introduce Dr. Nir Barzilai's three anti-aging scenarios: the Dorian Gray, the fountain of youth, and the Peter Pan, each aiming to delay or reverse aging. The show also highlights the importance of relationships, whether with humans or pets, and mentions the world's oldest certified person, Kane Tanaka from Japan.

Takeaways

• 🧓 Centenarians are individuals who have reached the age of 100, and their numbers are increasing due to advances in modern medicine.
• 🌐 The United Nations Population Division estimated that there were over half a million centenarians worldwide in 2021.
• 📈 Living to 100 was once considered impossible, but modern medicine has made it more achievable.
• 👵 Kane Tanaka from Japan, who lived to be 119, was the world's oldest certified person at the time of the recording.
• 🧠 Human relationships are crucial for a long life, and the quality of these relationships can affect one's health and longevity.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Factors contributing to a long life include diet, exercise, keeping active, and maintaining social connections.
• 🐕 Pets can provide comfort, joy, and emotional support, which can be beneficial for health and well-being.
• 🌟 Dr. Nir Barzilai has developed three scenarios for extending human lifespan: delaying aging (Dorian Gray), rejuvenating the old (fountain of youth), and slowing aging significantly (Peter Pan).
• 🔮 The 'Peter Pan' scenario suggests that with treatment, people could age very slowly, potentially exceeding the current maximum lifespan.
• 🌱 The concept of 'one size fits all' is not applicable to relationships; different people have different social needs for a healthy life.
• ♟️ Kane Tanaka's longevity was attributed to her habits of playing chess, eating chocolate, and drinking coffee.

Q & A

Who are the hosts of the 6 Minute English program mentioned in the transcript?

The hosts of the 6 Minute English program are Neil and Beth.

What is the estimated number of centenarians worldwide according to the United Nations Population Division in 2021?

The estimated number of centenarians worldwide in 2021 is over half a million.

What does the term 'twilight years' refer to?

The term 'twilight years' refers to the old age or the last years of one's life.

Which country was the world's oldest certified person from in 2022?

The world's oldest certified person in 2022 was from Japan.

What is the importance of human relationships in relation to living a longer life according to the transcript?

Human relationships are among the most important factors for long life. People who are more connected with others and have warmer relationships live longer and stay healthier.

What does the phrase 'one size fits all' mean in the context of the transcript?

In the context of the transcript, 'one size fits all' means something which is suitable for everyone or every purpose, referring to the fact that different people have different relationship needs for a healthy life.

What are the three scenarios developed by Dr. Nir Barzilai for extending lifespan?

The three scenarios developed by Dr. Nir Barzilai are: the Dorian Gray scenario, which involves delaying the ageing process; the 'fountain of youth' scenario, which aims to make old people young; and the Peter Pan scenario, which involves slowing down the ageing process significantly.

What is the 'Peter Pan' scenario as described by Dr. Nir Barzilai?

The 'Peter Pan' scenario involves giving treatments to people when they are young, such as 20 or 30, to erase their ageing and let them age very slowly, potentially allowing them to pass their maximum potential lifespan of 115 years.

What is the 'fountain of youth' in the context of Dr. Barzilai's treatments?

In the context of Dr. Barzilai's treatments, the 'fountain of youth' refers to a legendary source of magical water that keeps anyone who drinks it young forever, symbolizing a treatment that aims to make old people young.

Who was the certified oldest person in the world, and what were some of her secrets to longevity?

The certified oldest person in the world was Kane Tanaka from Japan. She lived to 119, and her secrets to longevity included playing chess, eating chocolate, and drinking coffee.

What does the term 'lifespan' mean as used in the transcript?

The term 'lifespan' as used in the transcript refers to the length of time someone is normally expected to live.

Outlines

00:00

🎉 Living to 100: Secrets and Scenarios

This segment of the BBC Learning English video script discusses the phenomenon of people living to be 100 years old, known as centenarians. It highlights the increase in centenarians worldwide, as reported by the United Nations Population Division in 2021, which estimated over half a million centenarians. The conversation between hosts Neil and Beth explores factors contributing to longevity, emphasizing the importance of human relationships and social connections, as explained by psychiatrist Robert Waldinger. The script also introduces the idea that different people have different social needs, and for introverts, a few close relationships may be sufficient. The segment concludes with an introduction to Dr. Nir Barzilai's three scenarios for extending human lifespan: the Dorian Gray scenario, which involves delaying the aging process; the 'fountain of youth' scenario, which aims to reverse aging; and the 'Peter Pan' scenario, which suggests the possibility of significantly slowing down the aging process.

05:01

🌟 The Oldest Person and Recap of Key Vocabulary

The second paragraph reveals that the world's oldest certified person was Kane Tanaka from Japan, who lived to be 119 years old, enjoying activities like playing chess, eating chocolate, and drinking coffee. It serves as a recap of the vocabulary introduced in the first paragraph, including terms like 'centenarians', 'twilight years', 'one size fits all', 'lifespan', 'fountain of youth', and 'Peter Pan syndrome'. The hosts remind viewers of the key takeaways from the program, which focuses on the secrets to a long life and the vocabulary related to aging and longevity.

Keywords

💡Centenarian

A centenarian is someone who has reached or passed their 100th birthday. This term is central to the video's theme, which explores the longevity of human life and the factors contributing to living to 100 years or more. In the script, the hosts discuss the increasing number of centenarians worldwide, as estimated by the United Nations Population Division.

💡Twilight Years

The term 'twilight years' refers to the later years of a person's life, often associated with old age. It is used in the script to describe the potential experiences and lifestyle of individuals who live to be very old. The phrase is introduced as a way to discuss the quality of life in old age.

💡One Size Fits All

This phrase suggests that a single solution or approach is suitable for everyone or every situation. In the context of the video, it is used to convey that different people have different social needs for a healthy life, whether it's having many friends or just a few close ones. It challenges the idea that there is a universal approach to achieving a long and healthy life.

💡Lifespan

Lifespan refers to the maximum length of time that a human being is expected to live. The script discusses efforts to extend the human lifespan through medical treatments and lifestyle changes. It is a key concept in the video, as it relates to the quest for longevity and the potential to live beyond the current average lifespan.

💡Fountain of Youth

The 'fountain of youth' is a legendary spring that supposedly restores the youth of anyone who drinks or bathes in its waters. In the script, it is used metaphorically to describe a radical treatment proposed by Dr. Nir Barzilai that aims to reverse the aging process in old people, making them young again.

💡Peter Pan Syndrome

Peter Pan Syndrome describes an adult who exhibits a lack of maturity and an unwillingness to accept adult responsibilities. In the video, this term is used to contrast with the 'Peter Pan' scenario proposed by Dr. Barzilai, where the treatment aims to slow down the aging process to a point where people age very slowly, if at all.

💡Dorian Gray

Dorian Gray is a fictional character from Oscar Wilde's novel who remains youthful while his portrait ages. In the script, this term is used to name the first scenario proposed by Dr. Barzilai, which involves delaying the aging process to maintain youthfulness.

💡Wolverine

The term 'Wolverine' is used in the script to describe a second scenario for defying aging, where old people are made young again. This is a reference to the Marvel Comics character known for his regenerative abilities, symbolizing the idea of regaining youth.

💡Introvert

An introvert is a person who tends to be more focused on their own thoughts and feelings and is often uncomfortable with social interactions. In the video, introverts are mentioned to highlight that they may not require many social connections to live a healthy life, emphasizing the individual nature of social needs.

💡Extrovert

An extrovert is a person who is outgoing and enjoys being in social situations. The script contrasts introverts with extroverts to illustrate that different personality types have different social interaction needs, which is important for understanding how relationships contribute to a healthy life.

💡Kane Tanaka

Kane Tanaka was the world's oldest certified person at the time of the script, living to 119. She is mentioned as an example of a centenarian and her habits, such as playing chess, eating chocolate, and drinking coffee, are highlighted as part of the discussion on the secrets to a long life.

Highlights

Introduction to the topic of living to 100 years old and the vocabulary related to it.

The United Nations Population Division estimated over half a million centenarians worldwide in 2021.

Human relationships are among the most important factors for a long life.

Introverts may only need one or two close relationships to feel connected.

Pets can provide comfort and joy, and calm people down, contributing to a healthy life.

The phrase 'one size fits all' is used to describe something suitable for everyone.

Dr. Nir Barzilai has developed three scenarios for defying death and staying young.

The 'Dorian Gray' scenario involves delaying the ageing process.

The 'Wolverine' or 'fountain of youth' scenario aims to make old people young again.

The 'Peter Pan' scenario suggests erasing ageing to let people age very slowly.

Kane Tanaka, the world's oldest certified person, lived to 119 and had a secret to her longevity.

Tanaka's secret to longevity included playing chess, eating chocolate, and drinking coffee.

The vocabulary 'centenarians' refers to people aged 100 years or more.

The term 'twilight years' is used to describe old age or the last years of one's life.

A 'lifespan' refers to the length of time someone is normally expected to live.

The 'fountain of youth' is a legendary source of magical water that keeps people young forever.

'Peter Pan syndrome' describes an adult who refuses to grow up and take on adult responsibilities.

Recap of the vocabulary learned in the programme.

Transcripts

Hello. This is 6 Minute.

English from BBC Learning English.

I'm Neil. And I'm Beth.

How old are you, Beth?

That's a very personal question, Neil!

Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude.

Anyway, at least you're not a centenarian -

someone who's lived to be a hundred years old.

Are you saying I look a hundred?

That's even ruder! Sorry, Beth.

No, it's just that,

with advances in modern medicine,

people are living longer and longer.

There was a time when living to 100 seemed impossible.

But in 2021,

The United Nations Population Division estimated there to be

over half a million centenarians worldwide

and that number is set to rise.

So, how do you live to 100? And what could life be like

in your twilight years?

A phrase meaning your old age or the last years of your life.

That's what we'll be discussing in this programme and of course,

we'll be learning some useful new vocabulary, too.

But first, I have a question for you, Beth.

In 2022

The world's oldest certified person died aged 119,

but which country was she from? Was it:

a) Switzerland b) Italy or c) Japan.

Hmm, I think the answer is Japan.

OK Beth, we'll find out the answer

at the end of the programme. Of all the many factors for long life,

such as diet, exercise and keeping active, human relationships are among

the most important. People

who are more connected with others and have warmer relationships, live longer

and stay healthier, and according to psychiatrist Robert Waldinger,

talking here with the BBC

World Service Programme

'The Inquiry', those relationships don't necessarily have to be with humans.

Introverts actually find having a lot of people around stressful,

so they might only need one or two close people and that's all they need,

that's all they want. And that's just fine for them.

So, one size doesn't fit all

when it comes to how many relationships

you need to have a healthy life.

It doesn't have to be done with another human.

We know that pets provide us with a great deal of comfort and joy

and pets can calm us down.

Whether you're a shy introvert or noisy extrovert,

what counts is friendship,

be that with a human or a pet. Different things work for different people.

So, Dr Waldinger

says it's not 'one size fits all' - a phrase meaning something which is suitable

for everyone or every purpose.

So far, we've mentioned the importance of diet, exercise and friendship.

But some people want more radical ways of defying death

and staying young. Dr Nir Barzilai

director of the American Federation for Ageing Research

has developed three scenarios in his work with centenarians in the US.

The first scenario, called Dorian Gray

after the fictional character who didn't age

involves delaying the ageing process.

Here's doctor Barzilai explaining more to BBC

World Service Programme. 'The Inquiry'.

The second scenario is what we call the 'wolverine'

or the 'fountain of youth' taking old people and make them young.

This is very, very hard.

This will be the most complex things we can do.

And the third scenario,

and this is a very exciting scenario,

and we have some evidence that it works, is the 'Peter Pan' scenario.

Peter Pan, didn't grow old - the idea that you'll take people

when they're 20 or 30 and give them a treatment

every few months or every year and you'll basically erase their ageing

and let them age

very, very slowly, which also will mean, probably.

that they'll pass their 115 year,

maximum potential lifespan.

All Dr Barzilai's treatments are aimed at extending lifespan, the length

of time someone is normally expected to live. His second treatment,

making someone who is old,

younger, is called 'the fountain of youth', a legendary source

of magical water that keeps

anyone who drinks it, young forever.  

Doctor Barzilai's third treatment involves slowing down the ageing process

so much that people hardly age at all. This treatment is called Peter Pan

after the fictional boy who never grew up and is connected to another idiom,

'Peter Pan Syndrome',

which describes an immature person who has reached adulthood,

but refuses to take on adult responsibilities.

But which country was the certified oldest person in the world

from? That was your question, Neil and I guessed Japan. But was I right?

You were... correct!

Kane Tanaka, was born on the Japanese island of Kyushu.

She lived to 119, the oldest human ever recorded,

and her secret? Playing chess eating chocolate and drinking coffee!

OK, let's recap the vocabulary

we have learned from this programme about 'centenarians'

- people aged 100 years or more.

Your 'twilight years' are your old age.

The phrase 'one size fits all' means suitable for everyone or every purpose.

A 'lifespan' is the length of time someone is normally expected to live.

The legendary 'fountain of youth' produces magical water,

so that anyone who drinks

it lives forever.

And finally, the phrase

'Peter Pan syndrome' describes an adult who refuses to grow up. Once again,

Our 6 minutes are up.

Join us again soon for more useful vocabulary here at 6 minute

English. Goodbye for now. Bye!