Blue zones expert Dan Buettner answers your questions on the secret to longevity

Blue zones expert Dan Buettner answers your questions on the secret to longevity

In our new Ask a Nat Geo Expert Anything series, Dan Buettner weighs in on how to apply the blue zones principles to your own life—from your diet to your community.
 

ByNational Geographic Staff
Video byDan Buettner and Intuitive Content
October 23, 2025

What can you do right now to ensure that you live a longer, healthier life? National Geographic Explorer Dan Buettner can answer that question better than anyone.

Buettner first set out to unlock the secrets to longevity 20 years ago, resulting in a blockbuster cover story on the world’s blue zones. Since then, he has launched a podcast and published multiple best-selling books based on his groundbreaking research—including his latest, The Blue Zones Kitchen One Pot Meals: 100 Recipes to Live to 100.

National Geographic subscribers have long been fascinated by Buettner’s research—and now, we’ve given them a chance to pose their own questions directly to Buettner. In our new Ask a Nat Geo Expert Anything series, Buettner weighs in on everything from what surprised him the most in his longevity research to whether he actually follows the blue zones principles in his own daily life. Want to submit questions for our next Nat Geo expert? Become a subscriber today!