Some experts believe that the first people to live long enough to reach their 200th birthday may already have been born because future advances in medicine and science will continue to extend life expectancy.

However, whether this proves true or not, it is likely to apply only to the few. For the majority of us, the trend is actually going in the opposite direction, and this may well continue thanks to the rise and spread of bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

The role antibiotics play in medicine cannot be overstated; they have turned once-fatal infections into highly treatable conditions and enabled safe surgery, cancer care and countless other medical advances.