Can humans live 180 years? The question sounds like science fiction, but it has sparked a huge debate online. Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal believes it might be possible. A Stanford health educator thinks it is impossible. And now, the clash between the two has turned into a public challenge worth Rs 1 crore.
Deepinder Goyal is making headlines with his ambitious longevity venture, Continue Research. He launched the project to study the science of ageing and to push the boundaries of how long humans can live. He aims to help people live healthy lives up to 180 years. In October 2025, he even invested $25 million of his own money to support researchers exploring unconventional ideas.
Goyal says the goal is not to “defeat death” but to change what he calls the “mayfly mentality”. He believes humans accept short lifespans too easily and should aim to extend healthy years, not just survive.
Can Humans Live 180 Years? The Gravity Ageing Hypothesis Sparks Controversy
Recently, Goyal grabbed massive attention with a theory he calls the Gravity Ageing Hypothesis. He suggests that gravity constantly pulls on the body and affects blood flow to the brain. This, he says, could be a key factor in how fast humans age. After some confusion online, he clarified the hypothesis, but many medical professionals remain sceptical.
Stanford health educator Prashant Desai has now publicly opposed Goyal’s vision. In an Instagram post, he said extending human life to 180 years is biologically unlikely. He also warned that such claims risk “giving people false hope that future medicine will undo today’s lifestyle damage.”
Desai added that Zomato (now renamed Eternal) has made food delivery extremely convenient, often with meals high in salt, sugar and refined oils. He hinted that this lifestyle itself contributes to poor health, raising doubts about extreme longevity.
Science Behind The Human Lifespan
Desai broke down the science, pointing out that studies, including those based on Kleiber’s law, link lifespan to body size and metabolism. Humans already outlive what biology predicts by about 50 years. Adding another 100 is a stretch. Ageing also brings inevitable risks such as cardiovascular disease, cancer from DNA mutations and Alzheimer’s, which has no known cure.
To underline his point, Desai proposed a bold challenge. He offered Rs 1 crore of his own money and asked Goyal to match it. If Goyal lives to 108, he gets the Rs 2 crore. If not, the money goes to Desai’s heir. He even added a humorous twist, saying Goyal would get a 40% Zomato discount for life.
Desai concluded by saying he hopes he loses the bet and hopes Goyal proves him wrong.
