Coursera Spring Sale
40% Off Coursera Plus Annual!
Grab it
Explore five bizarre historical attempts at achieving immortality in this 15-minute educational video. Discover how people throughout history pursued longevity through dangerous and unusual methods, including consuming toxic mercury, covering themselves in oil while eating honey to supposedly reach 300 years of age, and undergoing incomplete vasectomies believed to trigger a "second puberty." Learn about the scientific misconceptions and cultural beliefs that drove these peculiar practices, examining the intersection of medicine, mythology, and human desperation for eternal life. Gain insight into how historical understanding of biology and chemistry led to these misguided but fascinating approaches to extending human lifespan.