Fountain of Youth Pill?

Some stories seem too good to be true. Like this one.

It starts like this: "A miraculous 'fountain of youth' drug that could extend people's life spans by more than a decade has been developed by scientists," according to the Daily Mail.

The reality, two graphs later:

"In tests, the chemical increased the life expectancy of animals by a staggering 38 percent."

So it works in animals, but we don't know if it would extend human life. In fact, even that revealing line is inflated. Among middle-age mice — the age group of mice (or men) that would want to start taking a miracle pill if one were available — the improvement was just 16 percent, according to an article in the journal Science. Still a compelling number. But ...

Here's the real rub: While wonder drugs aren't unheard of, this one, called rapamycin, already has known problems.

Again, according to the journal Science: "Don't expect antiaging drugs to hit the market anytime soon, though. Rapamycin is known to raise cholesterol levels and, as a potent immune system suppressant, the compound could make its consumers more susceptible to infections."

That darn immortality thing is so elusive. And is it really desirable?

Other researchers have pointed out the psychological and social strains of living significantly longer than we do today. What if health and vigor decline? Who would pay for your multi-century retirement? Would marriages last after the kids have been gone for 300 years?

Meanwhile, if you want to live longer, there are formulas that work: Eat less and stop those bad habits.

• Top 10 Immortals

In The Water Cooler, Imaginova's Editorial Director Robert Roy Britt looks at what people are talking about in the world of science and beyond. Find more in the archives and on Twitter.