There is an obscure opera about a woman who has eternal life (fellow opera nuts will recognise The Makropulos Case by Janacek). The plot involves Elena who has lived a full life since her birth in 1575. She hasn't aged. Her beauty remains.

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Who wouldn't want eternal life without ageing? Well, actually, Elena wouldn't. She has become cynical. She's seen it all before. She's bored. She's had lovers but now they are tedious. She is cold to them. She realises that a sense of purpose and worth comes from a limited time of life.

So what seems like everyone's dream actually turns into an eternal nightmare.

The elixir (I warned you this was an opera) which has given her eternal life has worn off and instead of seeking to renew it, she opts for death (sorry for spoiling it but the opera remains worth watching if it comes your way on a small screen or big stage).

Some of the tech barons in the US should certainly watch it as they strive to dodge the Grim Reaper.

There really is a "Don't Die" movement, and its manifesto states: "We are at war with death and its causes. We are building towards an infinite horizon. We are fighting for the freedom to exist as long as one chooses. Why? Because we have things to do tomorrow. And tomorrow's tomorrow. Until we no longer want tomorrow."

It is funded by one Bryan Johnson who founded a company called Braintree which was eventually sold for $US800 million to PayPal.

This is the most extreme, overt case of the yearning for eternal life, but other zillionaires have also realised that they can't take the cash with them - but they would like to keep it a bit longer (actually, a lot longer).

For them, death may be like chastity: it may be necessary - but, please the Lord, not quite yet.

Amazon mega-billionaire Jeff Bezos has invested in Altos Labs, according to the MIT Tech Review which says: "Altos is pursuing biological........

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