It is too early to tell if Dr Rosen's discovery is a life-prolonging one.

ECONOMIST: Cancer therapy

Bayless did not want life-prolonging medical interventions, and her family is fully satisfied with the care she received.

FORBES: Move up http://i.forbesimg.com t Move down

The drug, which is based on a chemical found in red wine that is thought to mimic the life-prolonging effects of a very low-calorie diet, proved safe.

ECONOMIST: Business this week

Florida's statute-suggested living will, for example, directs life-prolonging treatments to be stopped if there is "no reasonable medical probability" of recovery from a terminal condition or persistent vegetative state.

WSJ: How to Fix Living Wills

In recent years there have been substantial gains in the number of people receiving life-prolonging antiretroviral therapy in low- and middle-income countries, totalling 4 million by December 2008, which represents an increase of 1 million from the previous year.

UNESCO: World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP)

Picochip is the market leader in femtocells, which redirect mobile-phone signals through landlines, boosting coverage in remote areas and prolonging battery life.

ECONOMIST: Tech clusters