Devin Katayama

The idea that something bad was happening in the intestines is one that dates back thousands of years, so this wasn't necessarily a new idea. But in the late 19th century, it was making a comeback because science was making new links to germs and disease.

Then one day, he has a breakthrough.

Then one day, he has a breakthrough.

Then one day, he has a breakthrough.

Remember, Metchikov is obsessed with centenarians. And there were newspaper articles backing up this idea that people in this region of Bulgaria were living a long time. And so he had to know. Why? Yogurt. Yogurt.

Remember, Metchikov is obsessed with centenarians. And there were newspaper articles backing up this idea that people in this region of Bulgaria were living a long time. And so he had to know. Why? Yogurt. Yogurt.

Remember, Metchikov is obsessed with centenarians. And there were newspaper articles backing up this idea that people in this region of Bulgaria were living a long time. And so he had to know. Why? Yogurt. Yogurt.

Metchnikoff had to tell everyone. It's 1904, Paris. A crowded lecture hall at the Society of French Agriculturalists. The famous Eli Metchnikoff is the guest speaker.

Metchnikoff had to tell everyone. It's 1904, Paris. A crowded lecture hall at the Society of French Agriculturalists. The famous Eli Metchnikoff is the guest speaker.

Metchnikoff had to tell everyone. It's 1904, Paris. A crowded lecture hall at the Society of French Agriculturalists. The famous Eli Metchnikoff is the guest speaker.

And he starts by getting up there and rattling off some pretty dark ideas.

And he starts by getting up there and rattling off some pretty dark ideas.

And he starts by getting up there and rattling off some pretty dark ideas.

He claimed they were more likely to commit suicide or be murdered.

He claimed they were more likely to commit suicide or be murdered.

He claimed they were more likely to commit suicide or be murdered.

He also repeated, without evidence, by the way, that some cultures killed and ate their women.

He also repeated, without evidence, by the way, that some cultures killed and ate their women.

He also repeated, without evidence, by the way, that some cultures killed and ate their women.

Metchnikoff is straddling the line between serious science and being a salesman because he's still trying to sell the world on science. So he's playing to his audience, stoking the fears of aging that are growing at the time and then saying, hey, don't worry. Science has the solution.