Google wants to help you live forever so you can search the Web and download Android apps until the end of time (or the Internet). Well, something like that.

The search giant today announced Calico, a new company that will focus on health and well-being and tackle how technology can positively affect aging and associated diseases.

Arthur D. Levinson (left), chairman and former CEO of Genentech and chairman of Apple, will service as Calico's CEO and a founding investor. He will remain chairman of Genentech and Apple, as well as director of Hoffmann-La Roche.

"Illness and aging affect all our families. With some longer term, moonshot thinking around healthcare and biotechnology, I believe we can improve millions of lives," Google chief Larry Page said in a statement. "It's impossible to imagine anyone better than Art—one of the leading scientists, entrepreneurs and CEOs of our generation—to take this new venture forward."

In a follow-up post on Google+, Page said that Calico is still in the early stages "so there's not much more to share yet." Calico won't distract from Google's core business; "new investments like this are very small by comparison to our core business," Page wrote.

"Art and I are excited about tackling aging and illness. These issues affect us all—from the decreased mobility and mental agility that comes with age, to life-threatening diseases that exact a terrible physical and emotional toll on individuals and families," Page wrote. "And while this is clearly a longer-term bet, we believe we can make good progress within reasonable timescales with the right goals and the right people."

"I've devoted much of my life to science and technology, with the goal of improving human health," Levinson said. "Larry's focus on outsized improvements has inspired me, and I'm tremendously excited about what's next."

Apple CEO Tim Cook gave his seal of approval, arguing that "for too many of our friends and family, life has been cut short or the quality of their life is too often lacking. Art is one of the crazy ones who thinks it doesn't have to be this way. There is no one better suited to lead this mission and I am excited to see the results."

The announcement comes several months after Page revealed a battle with vocal cord paralysis, and announced plans to fund a research program through the Voice Health Institute that will focus on how to improve vocal cord nerve function.

Google tried its hand at e-health several years ago with Google Health, but decided to shut it down last year.