Methuselah's Children (short story)
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Methuselah's Children is a science fiction short story by Robert A. Heinlein.
It concerns a secret society of people genetically predisposed to longevity. The members of the society gain a special grant if they marry one of the members with the right heredity; the idea being to extend their lifespans.
The general populace discovers their existence, and a "pogrom" ensues. This crisis precipitates an exodus into the stars. After many adventures, the exiles are forced to return home.
Because of time-dilation effects, centuries have passed on earth. To their surprise they find that on earth longevity is commonplace. Spurred on by a belief that there was some specific "technique" to the Howards longevity, they have explored every avenue known to science to duplicate the feat; and have succeeded through surgery and advanced molecular chemistry.