World leaders, tech bros and crypto barons: is the search for immortality human kind's Achilles heel?

As China's powerful military paraded through Beijing, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping were seen deep in conversation.

But their focus was not military strategy or geopolitics — as a hot mic revealed — but a topic that has fascinated humans for centuries: the quest for immortality.

Once the domain of myth, religion and science fiction, in the 21st century, there are scores of scientists and billions of dollars (and crypto currency) supporting the goal of extending human life, with the ultimate aim of achieving immortality.

Mr Putin was interpreted as saying: "With continuous advances in biotechnology, human organs will be increasingly transplanted, letting us live younger and younger, and perhaps even achieve immortality."

And Mr Xi responded by saying it is anticipated that it may be pos