In Jonathan Swift's classic book, Gulliver's travels, there's a part where Gulliver discovers that the inhabitants of the land called Lugnag have the ability to live forever.

These inhabitants, known as the Stroll Brooks, are born with a red dot on their foreheads. The thinks this is the most wondrous ability, but soon grows horrified when he realizes

that although the strolled brogues never die, they also continue to age.

The thought that these immortal beings will continue to eternally shrivel away over time is a nightmare beyond imagination to Gulliver.

In fiction there seems to be very little middle ground about immortality.

It's always either a blessing or a curse.

In many of our stories of immortals, the person who never dies eventually becomes jaded

and despondent about their life everlasting, as they watch everyone

around them grow old and die.

When Odysseus chooses to return home to his beloved Penelope, rather than remain immortal on an island with a beautiful

nymph Calypso, it's generally considered a wise decision.

In the picture of Dorian Gray, the main character remains eternally youthful, growing jaded and bitter while

his portrait continues to age and becomes grotesque. Yet despite immortality's apparent

drawbacks, it seems like some people can't stop seeking it.

Sometime in the 4th century BC legend has it that Alexander the Great discovered a healing river

of Paradise. The idea that there is some mystical spring containing water with remarkable healing abilities is one that has persisted throughout the centuries.

One of the most famous legends of all involves the Spanish conquistore Ponce de Leon,

who's thought to have accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the New World in 1493.

In 1508, Ponce de Leon was granted royal permission to colonize the island we now know of is Puerto Rico.

He became the island's first governor, but was soon pushed out in a power struggle with Columbus's

son Diego.

It's interesting to note that although in the years that followed Ponce de Leon continued to

...