Could technology keep us alive for longer?

That's one of the questions explored in Mark O'Connell's book To Be a Machine, which explores the concept of transhumanism and the people who follow it.

Transhumanism is a movement that is centred around the use of emerging technologies to "push the boundaries of what it means to be human".

Although some might assume it is a fringe movement, Mark explains that it actually exists "at the heart of Silicon Valley".

The idea behind transhumanism is that there is nothing humans can't do with technology short of becoming immortal, which Mark says is the endgame of the movement.

Although he never personally found transhumanism an attractive prospect, his interest in questions of mortality led him to write the book.

He says there is clearly a 'god complex' involved: "There are definite religious undertones. I wouldn't call it a religion as such, but it's a deeply messianic idea."

Mark will be reading from the book at the Cúirt Literature Festival in Galway tomorrow.