Can humans live forever? Ray Kurzweil, noted author, futurist, and Google's director of engineering, sees immortality as a series of bridges, each leg working to expand life a little longer. In an interview with Maclean's, Kurzweil described taking 150 supplements per day, which he credits for younger results on biological aging tests. But supplements are only the first bridge; the second, he says, will be tiny nanobots that help fight diseases by augmenting the immune system. This technology won't just extend life, but will allow people to remain active longer by simultaneously improving health and vitality. Google is also hoping to help expand the human lifespan with its new company Calico, which aims to make improvements in human health and well-being.

He's not just working on life extension, though: Kurzweil is playing an important role in the journey towards a future with smarter computers. He's currently working on improving machines' natural language processing skills, which would allow robots to read, consume, and understand human communication. While this would have practical applications, such as improving services like Google Now, Kurzweil also believes that creating intelligent robots is of the utmost importance for human evolution.