Humans will never be able to live forever

Experts have spent hundreds of years trying to discover the secret to eternal life, but scientists say that there is no chance of the human race achieving immortality.

Anatomy expert Professor Leonard Hayflick suggested that the best-case scenario for people is living to 120 and explained how eternal life is prevented by the second law of thermodynamics.

Professor Hayflick, from the University of California, said: "Everything in the universe ages for the same reason.

"Why is the second law of thermodynamics the probable cause of ageing? It governs the behaviour of all molecules ... it is universal and applies to both animate and inanimate objects."

The academic's claims are supported by the biophysicist Peter Hoffman.

He said: "If your DNA is a bit damaged, it affects the repair mechanisms, which can get a bit slower. This builds up. In principle, you could fix everything, but in practice, it's just not possible."

For feedback: contact the Editorial Department at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com.