Why do we die? The latest on aging and immortality from a Nobel Prize-winning scientist [Video]

Shift Your Mindset is a monthly series from CNN’s Mindfulness, But Better team. We talk to experts about how to do things differently to live a better life.

Since time immemorial, humans have done their darnedest to try and cheat death. Today, as revolutionary advancements transform the stuff of science fiction into everyday reality, are we closer to extending our lifespan or even perhaps immortality?

If so, do we really want eternal life? In his new book, “Why We Die: The New Science of Aging and the Quest for Immortality,” Nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist Venki Ramakrishnan sifts through past and cutting-edge research to uncover the aspirational theories and practical limitations of longevity. Along the way, he raises critical questions about the societal, political and ethical costs of attempts to live forever.

Already, humans …