Simon Watt, biologist, writer, science communicator, comedian, TV presenter, trainer, consultant and artist, and perhaps best known as a presenter on the BAFTA-winning documentary series, Inside Nature’s Giants, the IFTA-winning Wild Cities and the Channel 4 special, The Elephant: Life After Death.

Soroptimists and Midlands Science asking who wants to live forever

Published: Tue 28 Oct 2025, 11:00 AM

Midlands Science are hosting a special event in Mullingar on November 11 in partnership with Mullingar Soroptimists, when broadcaster Simon Watt present his show ‘Why Do We Die?’. Known for his work with Channel 4 and RTÉ, this engaging scientist, who also does stand-up comedy, will explore the science of why we die, whether we could live forever, whether anyone would you want to.

Mary Wynne, president of Mullingar Soroptimists, said: “We are delighted to be hosting this event for Science Week with Midlands Science, it’s a great opportunity to hear about science and living longer with Simon Watt – he is an amazing communicator and we look forward to this event.”

Irene Cara sang ‘I’m gonna live forever’ in Fame in the 1980s; ‘Who wants to live forever?’ countered Queen a few years later. ‘You and I are gonna live forever’ insisted Oasis in 1994. It seems that pop singers can’t agree on it, but can we or should we live forever? Is immortality something to be desired or dreaded? Surely death, along with taxes, is one of the only two certainties we can rely on in life, as Benjamin Franklin famously quipped.

In the free show, biologist and comedian Simon Watt delves into the surprising science behind why we die, and what the alternatives might be. Along the way he will tell us about an immortal jelly fish, the world’s slowest bacteria and the trip Darwin took to a séance.

One of the world’s most amazing creatures is a jellyfish called Turritopsis dohrnii, better known by its nickname, the immortal jellyfish. When injured or dying, it can return to its juvenile form, becoming young again. Scientists are studying them closely, hoping to uncover secrets about human ageing. Is it possible that some day we could go on living far into the future?

Some scientists say that within decades we may be able to live for hundreds of years and that is why some people have gone as far as to freeze their bodies in liquid nitrogen in the hopes that some day, humans will have the scientific knowledge to bring them back to life forever.

Companies charged hundreds of thousands of euro for that service but no matter how technology advances, it could be impossible for our bodies to go on indefinitely. Some researchers believe there’s a limit on how long it’s physically possible to live – perhaps 125 years. But what if we don’t need our bodies at all?

Some people, such as the famed futurist Ray Kurzweil, believe that by 2045, we might become immortal by uploading our brains to computers. Then we could leave our bodies behind and live forever as machines. Would you want to live forever? Come along and talk about it with Simon Watt and Midlands Science.

The event is free and refreshments will be served and more information can be found on www.midlandsscience.ie.