At 122 years old, Madame Jeanne Calment has the longest recorded lifespan. Her picture has been the focus of testimony before the President’s Council on Bioethics. Extending lifespan is considered an issue of ethics because of the issues that it presents today. In the past, average lifespan increased significantly because we virtually eradicated infant mortality and childhood diseases. Now, the focus on extending life is at the other end of the spectrum. On one hand, the concept of extending life to include more folks the age of Madame Calment is invigorating. On the other hand, if extension of life at the older end of the spectrum is accompanied by an increase in dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and an increased inability to live the end of your life with dignity, this research itself should be, and is, subject to ethical scrutiny. It is a topic to be aware of, especially as each of us and our parents and grandparents age. More information on the topic can be found on the President’s Council on Bioethics Web site: www.bioethics.gov.