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the screen to see a cartoon depicting several small, spherical blobs.
    ‘The stem cell,’ his grandfather’s voice boomed. ‘Such a small thing, and yet so powerful. Back in the twentieth century, scientists could only guess at the potential of these tiny cells. Cures for diseases that wiped out millions of lives every year. Helping the paralysed to regain movement in their limbs. Growing organs for transplantation. Scientists all over the world were racing to unlock the secrets of these tiny cells, to harness their capability.
    ‘But one man went further. One man wanted more than simply to cure disease, to treat the sick. One man saw beyond the curative powers in cell therapy. One man saw that humankind’s destiny was inexorably linked to the power of the stem cell. He knew, knew without any question, that the right combination, the right cells, used in the right way, could cure not just disease, but the most significant human condition of all. He knew that he could cure mortality.’
    There was a brief pause and then the camera zoomed in on one of the blobs.
    ‘So how did he do it? Well, it was with the help of these fellows. Meet the stem cell,’ his grandfather’s voice continued, now more jovial in tone. ‘This clever creature can turn itself into any cell in the body. It could be a liver cell, a blood cell, a spinal cord cell. It can repair damage, replicate itself to replace ageing cells, prevent cancerous cells from developing.’
    The blob developed a face and danced around the screen, fitting into various organs successfully, all the time grinning happily to itself.
    Then the blob disappeared and his grandfather was on the screen again, this time outside a white pod with sliding doors, through which men in white coats could be seen walking. ‘But whilst these cells have been known about since the twentieth century,’ his grandfather was saying in an avuncular tone, ‘only Pincent Pharma has leveraged their capability to create the most powerful drug known to man: Longevity.’
    Peter’s grandfather disappeared again and was replaced by a film of two old people walking along the street, bent over, their faces lined, their hair grey. Peter found himself wincing at the sight in spite of himself.
    ‘Old age,’ his grandfather’s voice boomed. ‘For thousands of years the unavoidable plight of humankind. Loss of key functions – hearing, eyesight, flexibility, strength. Loss of recall and brain capacity. A slow, painful degenerative process that ended more often than not in disease and then death. Eighty years was considered a good lifespan. At sixty, humans were considered too old to work, too old to contribute to society. But no longer.’
    The shot switched to a film of some men playing a game of football in the park. ‘Where once humans had collapse, they now have Renewal. Where once humans accepted decay, they now enjoy an enhanced lifestyle. On that momentous day when natural scientist Dr Albert Fern discovered the true potential of stem cells, he changed the course of history.’
    There was another pause, as Peter’s on-screen grandfather surveyed the room, his eyes shining, then his face took on a slightly more humble expression as a new voice took over the story. ‘Sadly, Dr Fern didn’t live long enough to develop Renewal further, but Richard Pincent, his son-in-law and founder of Pincent Pharma, worked tirelessly after his death to extend the benefits of stem cells to people worldwide . . .’
    Peter’s eyes widened. So Albert Fern was Richard Pincent’s father-in-law? That meant he was Peter’s great-grandfather. He was related to the guy responsible for all of this. The thought made him shiver slightly.
    The screen returned to Pincent Pharma, to the original open-plan laboratory shot. Peter’s grandfather was now walking amongst the scientists, whilst the voice-over continued: ‘. . . ever since then, this noble company has been working for humanity to deliver Longevity, the drug