BBC Radio 4, September 23, 2022 and BBC Sounds 

157 is the new 80.

They say that the expectations for life’s major milestones have all shifted a decade in the last couple of generations… 40 is the new 30, etc. But what if there was a rare genetic condition that doubled the human life expectancy – how would that play out?

This alternative reality audio drama poses that very question through a series of stories that take a deep dive into the implications of longer life for humanity. Crucially, not all of humanity – and therein lies its power to divide.

First, with Anya, we see the immediate fallout from the scientific breakthrough that uncovered the existence of the ‘ELS’ (Extended Life Syndrome) gene, and a test for it. Cue some eerily familiar mass population testing and the fracturing of society on a micro and macro level.

Would you want the ELS gene, if it existed? I’m not so sure I would. This cleverly crafted vignette jumps in to that and all the other questions that immediately spring to mind, and poses such a relatable dilemma through our narrator, Anya, that in a short 33 minutes I feel genuine grief at what plays out. Then there’s the decision she makes and the action that she takes, which will shock you. The episode closes there, and as the consequences sink in… you will ask yourself what you would do in her shoes.

Verdict: A strong start for this exploration of such a powerful human desire: long life. 9/10

Claire Smith