We are delighted to introduce Stanford Center on Longevity Magazine, a  new monthly publication that features scientific advances, emerging innovations and creative solutions for building a longevity-ready world.

Five years ago, SCL launched the New Map of Life initiative as an exercise in imagination. With people living 30 years longer on average than they did in the early 20th century, the world is ill-prepared  to meet the needs or tap the talents of an age-diverse population. We began to consider what changes were needed to allow people to be healthy, financially secure and socially engaged throughout century long lives.

As our analysis showed, we have a great deal of work to do. We need to redesign outdated systems for healthcare, education, work, and financial planning to support longer lives. We need to make use of age diversity, create caring communities that support people of all ages, and build economic opportunities accessible to all. By acting strategically, we can deliver longevity benefits to people of all ages and income levels. A critical first step is  to replace a crisis narrative about “aging societies” with narratives about  opportunities, enabled by  learning societies, medical, scientific, and technological advances, along with policies, products, and services that help individuals thrive. 

The New Map of Life is our blueprint. SCL Magazine is the chronicle of the longevity-ready world as it takes shape. Our goal is to inform, connect, and inspire conversations among transformational leaders in medicine, science, technology, financial services and investing, business, public policies, education, and nonprofit institutions, as well as scholars, journalists, and individuals. 

Each month, we will bring you original reporting, insights, and analysis to advance our understanding of longevity. As you will see in our first issue, at SCL, we take an expansive view  that extends far beyond old age.  Our work covers the entire life span. In this issue, you’ll read about  a new health app that harnesses  AI’s diagnostic powers to provide individualized medical advice, a vaccine that reduces dementia risk, and an experimental high school that shapes students into lifelong learners. We will also help readers boost their longevity literacy. This issue includes a financial security quiz. In the next issue, we will report findings so you can compare your knowledge with other readers.

We are delighted to welcome Karen Breslau back as the inaugural editor of the magazine. In addition to our monthly publications, we  will publish  four special issues each year that provide deep dives on  financing longer lives, improving healthspan, learning and earning, and building intergenerational communities.

We welcome your feedback and story ideas for future issues at [email protected].

Thank you for joining us in preparing our world for century-long lives!

Laura L. Carstensen, Ph.D.
Director, Stanford Center on Longevity

Keep reading Issue 1