4 x 60 min

Celebrating the unsung heroes who made it happen, Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer reveals the little-known story of a public health revolution that doubled the human lifespan in less than a century, paving the way for modern medicine.

The timely four-part series explores the lessons learned from previous pandemics—including smallpox, cholera, and the Spanish flu—and reveals how scientists, doctors, self-experimenters, and activists fundamentally changed how we think about illness thanks to medical innovations that conquered some of the world’s deadliest diseases.

Best-selling author Steven Johnson, alongside historian and broadcaster David Olusoga, guide viewers across three centuries, tracing the origins of inoculation back to Africa—long before the discovery of vaccination in the west. And reveal how collective efforts around the world can lead to extraordinary outcomes.