Robert Shekoyan — a 24-year-old Harvard-trained biologist and co-founder of Aevitas House, a longevity co-living hub in the Panhandle — outlined his not-so-revolutionary protocol for living longer. Shouting to be heard over a throbbing bass line, he explained that it’s all about exercise, healthy eating, and sleep, as well as melatonin, which has been shown to produce a “15% to 20% increase in maximal lifespan” in mice.

Shekoyan, dressed in a sleek pleather vest and black tee with “Longevity” emblazoned across the chest, was one of roughly 140 partiers at the Saturday’s Longevity Rave, a shoe-free, mostly sober bacchanal held in the plush biohacking lounge at the Portal, a new private club and coworking space in Mill Valley. The event was an afterparty for the Roundtable of Longevity Clinics, a two-day symposium hosted by the prestigious Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Marin County, attended by 400-odd scientists, crypto-futurists, techno-optimists, and longevity luminaries.

The science presented at the Buck was intriguing: Speakers discussed the fusion of AI and longevity, the promise of futuristic infrared and ultrasound wearables claiming to tackle depression, and the pros and cons of therapeutic plasma exchange. There was even a surprise pre-recorded video cameo from Elon Musk. “The connection’s not great — Elon was on his jet using Starlink,” admitted Peter Diamandis, the futurist and Xprize founder, during his talk on aging innovation.

Starting at the early-for-a-rave hour of 7 p.m., ravers decompressed from the Buck’s science-packed symposium, sipping zero-alcohol cocktails courtesy of Three Spirits, a UK-based startup, and waving LED candles on the dance floor. DJ Ramzi — Ramzi Haidamus, a former Nokia president — traded sets with DJ Tina Technotic, aka Tina Woods, executive director of the International Institute of Longevity and one of the rave’s organizers. “Music and socialization contribute to keeping you young,” said Woods.

The mood was suitably upbeat. “The Overton window has shifted on longevity,” declared Josh Gourneau, an engineering manager at Guardant Health, a company that uses  AI and blood tests for early cancer detection. “Bryan Johnson is making people realize that you can, in fact, shape the future of your health in positive ways that aren’t quackery,” he said of the rising anti-aging promoter. 

Joanna Bensz from the International Institute of Longevity, a nonprofit pushing for standards at longevity clinics, modeled longevity chic, with peacock-blue tailored pants and a crisp, white shirt. Sipping on an alcohol-free margarita, she shared her hope for new guardrails in the anti-death space: “We would like government regulations.” But since life is the antidote to death, she feels that embracing fun is the biggest key: “Excitement about the new keeps you engaged.” 

On the dance floor, Laurence Ion, 30, rocked glittery cat ears and another longevity-branded tee. “This is great: a healthy rave that ends early and has no alcohol. Like, that’s the way to do it,” he said. Ion is a founder of VitaDAO, which funds early-stage longevity research, and BeakerDAO, a decentralized collective that backs science projects. He has also co-organized two pop-up longevity hubs: Zuzalu in Montenegro (launched by crypto mogul Vitalik Buterin) and Vitalia City in Honduras.

“By 2040, the goal is to make 80 the new 40,” he said. “We can do that with a major effort, like a Los Alamos, Manhattan Project, or Apollo-type initiative.” His interest in longevity is personal, sparked by a genetic bone disorder. He’d spent the previous two days hanging around the Buck but skipped the talks in favor of networking. The idea of a pop-up city at the Winthrop Estate, a villa surrounded by 44 private acres in Massachusetts, came up in conversation with the property owner, Ethan Berg.

Stroking his sage-length, gray-and-white beard, Aubrey de Grey, 61, shared that his biological age is “early 40s,” based on “multiple” epigenetic aging tests. He is the president and chief science officer of the LEV foundation, which focuses on prevention and curing of human age-related disease. Though he, too, sees the benefits of a rave scene for the longevity-minded, he remains focused on science. “The field is genuinely advancing — not because of marketing, but because of scientific advances,” he said.

Eric Verdin, president and CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging — which was founded in 1999 and is renowned for its research on cellular senescence, cancer, and senolytics — doubled down on that message. “Only about 7% of longevity is determined by your genes; the rest is environmental. Aging is now a variable we can control,” he said. But he won’t let the hype overshadow reality. “If you have a heart attack, don’t call your longevity doctor — call a cardiologist.”

At the rave, Verdin briefly joined Woods behind the decks, donning a pair of headphones and bopping his head to the beat — living life to the max before the 10 p.m. closing time. (Attendees had their sleep scores to prioritize.) For Woods, the rave was the perfect way to end two days of intense talks and discussion, she said, noting that it takes people back to the essential question: How do we make a longer life worthwhile? “What motivates people isn’t the fear of dying,” she said. “It’s the joy of living.”