Rapamycin treatment may be the elixir of youth, according to researchers who tested lab animals in three separate institutions across the U.S. Unlike other life extending techniques which demand early intervention for success—for instance a low calorie diet-Rapamycin prolongs life at any stage in a mouse’s life once administered. An antibiotic, Rapamycin suppresses the immune system. The exact properties of the drug that extend life are unclear. When taking the drug in small capsules the life span of mice increased by 14 per cent in the females and 9 per cent in the males. “It’s no longer irresponsible to say that following these up could lead to medicines that increase human life span by 10, 20 or 30 per cent,” says Dr. Miller, leader of the University of Michigan team.